The Jewel of Callahorn
by loveofthering
Summary: The last chapter and the end of my story. I hope you like it...Read and Reveiw...Please...
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is an AU continued episode after the Talisman written by Terry Brooks. I will use his characters and some of mine own to write this story.

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** The Shannara world belongs to Terry Brooks. I am not writing this story for profit and I do not wish to infringe on any copyright. I am just creating this story from my wild imagination because I love those books that Terry wrote and I just can not get enough of them. Walker Boh is my favorite character and I have huge dreams for him that I will tell you in this story…So if you will join me for fun and entertainment…please read and review…

The Jewel of Callahorn

A thick lazy mist clung within the walls of Callahorn in the late evening hours while booted feet treaded the cobblestone making their way down the loathsome walkway. Trickles of blood followed just behind each step and the tip of the sword scrapping, tapping and clicking with each cobblestone it touched.

By the time he was old enough to weld a sword in his hand Padishar Creel was seldom without it. The war of the Shadowens had ended and now it was time the free-born to drive the federation back into the southland. Callahorn was to be liberated and the dwarves brought back from the mines that they labored in for the federation, but it was not going to be an easily won victory.

Each morning strategies were planned and each evening just before dusk small skirmishes were executed. Slowly the free-born were making progress at whittling the federation down. Callahorn was once the strong hold of the federation, but after the Shadowen were defeated, the armed forces of the federation dwindled.

Weary from battle, the free-born gathered in the tunnels beneath Callahorn where the mole opened his door to his underground home and allowed the free-born to co-existed with him. Well just as long as they kept their distance from his living quarters and his children that were made of stuffed teddy bears, soft fluffy stuffed rabbits to old worn-out rag dolls that he had found tossed away in the garbage of Callahorn. For the lovely Dawson, the mole gave them sections of his tunnels for them to eat, sleep and live, plan their battle strategies and to celebrate their successes. They had their own doors for their comings and goings that rarely interfered with the moles daily schedules. The mole was always on his last nerve from the constant light of the torches within his tunnels and the loud boisterous sounds that they made. He reminded his children daily that soon they would be gone and their peace of darkness and quiet would begin again, just as lovely Dawson had promised.

For her, the mole would do anything that she asked of him.

Matty Roh held open the curtain with one hand and the other lit the way with a candle that she held. "Bring him in here and I'll see to his wounds."

Morgan Leah smiled while he brought Padishar through the curtain and gazed at Matty from the corner of his eye. Seeing the only empty bed available among the five others that were occupied, Morgan helped Padishar to lye down upon it. Morgen turned his friend's chin with his open hand so he could examine the fine stitch work that Matty had done from last weeks skirmish, a fine line that ran down a small portion on the side of his face and noticed that it was healing up just fine. However, the top of his forearm had another open gash and was bleeding freely after tonight's attack on the federation. "Any more stitches, my friend, and you'll be looking just like this quilt," Morgan teased allowing Padishar to snap his chin from his friend's grasp and glared up at him, saying nothing after a moments pause. "I have wounded, maimed and killed at least a thousand federation men just within these walls since all this has begun. Where you, my friend, your blade has only seen half of that."

Morgan withdrew the sword of Leah, the talisman and held it proudly out in front of him. He slowly admired the gleam of his blade and the deadly sharpest of it. Looking back at Padishar, Morgan gave him a friendly smirk and commented, "You are right and by my counting, only a few hundred men and a couple hundred shadowen; something that your blade could never kill."

Morgan raised a confident brow towards his friend and then began to laugh when Padishar only grumbled beneath his breath. Matty placed a wet compress upon his arm to stay the blood from oozing and the northern-man jerked from the sudden pain that it caused.

Between girded teeth, Padishar looked back at the highlander and then spoke, "May your blade and mine, always stay side by side until this land is free and men and dwarves can walk unchecked against any enemy."

Morgan placed his sword of Leah into its sheath and proudly nodded his head in their noble cause in which they fought until its bitter end.

Upon the next bed over a man leaned upon his elbow and added his comment as well. "And to that Padishar, we Rovers add our blades with yours to see this to its end."

Rhys was a well formed man lean and muscular with bronzed skin tone from living his life upon the land traveling from one part of the Anar to the next. He had long black hair that he kept tied behind his head and eyes dark as night, but within its black orbs the sparkle of stars glistened that gave him a sense of carefree and lightheartedness. He loved life and lived it to its fullest. There wasn't a challenge big enough for him to take on or a mountain high enough that he would not climb. He was a prince among his Rovers, young, strong and devoted to the free-born because without its end to the federation seize their way of life would never be as they would have it…free to move upon the land that they loved.

Padishar stretched out his hand to grasp that of Rhys a man that he could call his brother and could count on even to the ends of his life. Rhys had proven himself to Padishar through the months that he had come to join up with the free-born. The Rover's skill with a sword was unlike anything that Padishar had ever seen, being many years younger than himself. His reflex was that of a cat always just narrowly missing a point of a sword aimed at ending his life. Not only did he save his life, but that of Padishar Creel more times than he could count. When there was a dangerous job that was needed to put the federation on the run, it was always Rhys who came to volunteer his services. However, willing as Rhys was, in his endeavors to take any mission, he did not trust so willing to others and chose who would go with him or who would hold his escape door open. Padishar understood this as he too felt and acted the same way. All but this night when the old, dried out floor boards gave way under the pressure of a skirmish with the guards of the gatehouse tower. Rhys and Padishar fell through along with their opponents they challenged. While the edge of the blade cut into his arm, Rhys foot was only sprained from the fall. Afterwards, the two companions found themselves with a little rest and relaxation while they healed.

With the first jab of Matty's needle to sew his wound, Padishar let out a whooping howl of pain. Morgan and Rhys both burst out laughing at the same time knowing how Padishar liked to think of himself as indestructible. Padishar cast scowling eyes towards Matty as he felt unprepared for the start of her mending. "Next time, you warn someone before you go jabbing needles in someone's arm!" he snarled at her.

"If you don't hold still, you'll be luck if I don't sew your shirt into your wound!" Matty retorted back to him and continued to sew with Padishar gritting his teeth in silence.

A messenger entered pulling back the curtain in the tunneled room and quickly asked for Morgan Leah. "I have a letter for you from Palanor."

Morgan instantly sobered his mood while he reached out his hand to grasp the letter. 'Palanor!' he thought with a raised brow and he knew in an instant that this had to come from the Druid Walker Boh. Excusing himself from the tunneled room, Morgan sot a quiet place where he could read his letter.

Padishar followed his eyes watching the highlander leave and if it was not for Matty digging holes into his skin, he would have followed Morgan to find out more.

It was not until almost dawn when Morgan came back into the room fully geared in his traveling clothes and bag. He approached Padishar and Rhys while they sat with a group of their men going over the plans for their attack for the federation later in the evening, something that Morgan could anticipate with the start of each day.

Padishar pulled himself from the table and walked over to where Morgan stood waiting for him.

"You're leaving?" This was not a question, but rather a statement the he pointed out to the highlander.

"Yes, I don't know how long I'll be gone this time and for what reason. The Druid only stated that I must come alone and as soon as I can make it."

"We need you here, Morgan. We have a few more battles left before this city is rid of the federation. Without you fighting by our side, it will be that much more difficult."

"I'll be back when this business with the Druid has ended. I owe Walker Boh that much and if he needs me like he says, then I must go."

"Seek us by the mines of the federation at the eastern far base of the Dragon's Teeth. That is where they have imprisoned the Dwarves of Callahorn and our last strike to overcome the federation. They are building their forces and calling all their able body men to them. From there we will drive them back to the southlands and out of our western regions." The passion that burned in Padishar voice and eyes gave Morgan a sense that he would do just that and the time of the stronghold of the federation would soon crumble. Morgan was sure of it as he looked the man eye to eye. Nodding with agreement he held his hand open to Padishar and they shook hands saying their farewells.

"Wait Morgan!" shouted Matty, "I am coming with you."

Morgan eyes snapped over to her from across the room and saw her rushing to gather her belongs in her arms. He shook his head despairingly knowing it was going to be hard to say his farewells to her. He was still not sure how he felt about her. One minute she was fighting every bit as hard as any man with a sword and ever bit as capable and the next warm and gentle as any women could be. She was stouthearted and willing to push herself beyond what strength that she could possibly muster. She was intriguing to him by all measures, but his heart was still not sure of how he truly felt for her.

"Not this time, Matty. I need to go alone," he called back to her.

She tossed her things and ran to him. "You promised me that where you go, so will I!"

"You can not enter into the Druids keeps only if the Druid wishes it. He has told me that I come alone. You must go with Padishar Creel. He will see to your safety and I will come to you when I have finished my business with Walker Boh," explained Morgan and took her by the shoulders to look at her.

"Please, Morgan, I do not want to stay here. All I do is sew up wounds, wash bedding and serve meals. I am tired and restless of this and I want to get away and find another adventure with you," she demanded.

Morgan kissed her lips quickly and shook his head. "I'll catch up with you very soon, I promise!"

He turned and walked out of the tunnel with his bag in his hand and his sword draped over his back. "Damn you, Morgan Leah, I hope you fall into a stink hole of which you can not escape!" she shouted and shook her fist at him. Tears poured down her cheeks as she ran to the farthest bed and flung herself across it sobbing into her pillow.

Bare feet scrapped and bloodied ran with wide strides and treading the forest floor as fast as they could travel. With heart pumping and air being forced in and out of the lungs desperately trying to keep with the harsh pace that was being set. Extraordinary fear of death lapping at the edge of her feet knowing it was only seconds at hand. On and on she raced leaping brush and dodging trees to get her away from the beasts that chased after her.

The wolves had already caught her once and had a taste of her blood from their first attack on the small troupe that happened into their dark wooded area that the wolves had lived. Their hunger was ravenous and their sights were solely upon this woman and the magnificence of the chase she gave them. Whether a game that they played with their prey, she had managed to run a great distances bleeding profusely. She did not see the trees in the forest nor bush or thick brush but sensed them as she ran managing not to run into them. Her screams echoed and bounced off rock and tree, but no one came to her rescue.

Long sharp gnashing teeth and ear piercing growls where only a breath away from the stretch of her long legs as she ran.

Breaking through the trees and landing upon the sharp loose rock that surrounded this open area, she ran on looking over her shoulder and feeling the rock cutting into the soles of her feet. She was not aware of a great towering wall that had stretched out in all directions in front of her nor did she see the parapets, battlements and towers. Sensing the feeling of being enclosed, she quickly snapped head straight forward and a huge black blur flashed before her eyes as it flew over her and she fell stretched out upon the ground. She knew her struggle to stay alive was now over with.

Captain Siegmund Grey of the federation regiment stationed at Callahorn opened an urgent message telling him to pull out of Tyrsis immediately abandoning their post completely. The general ordered that the captain's full regiment to leave for the mines that they now occupied in the eastern region at the base of the Dragon's Teeth.

The captain spoke softly to his men scattered about him. "Wake everyone as silently as possible and have everyone fully equipped to leave immediately."

"But Sir; it is the middle of the night, Sir?" one of his men questioned.

"All the better Sergeant. The cover of darken will give us adequate time to slip away unseen and unchecked. Let the free-born devils wake to what is left of this foregone deplorable city!" he ordered.

"Sir; Yes, Sir!" the solider said, snapping to attention with a solute and then turned to gather what was left of their entire regiment.

The sun rays broke the skyline of the horizon and set waves of warmth to awaken the town of Tyrsis to their first day of freedom. However is was still undiscovered by those who still slept in their beds or just beginning to raise to this new day.

Rhys raced into Padishar's room and bent down to shake him awake.

"Padishar!" he loudly whispered in a tone of voice half screaming with excitement as a child waking their parent upon a Christmas morning. When Rhys saw his friend's eyes just barely beginning to open he went on to tell him the most exciting news. "They're gone! Every last inch of them gone!"

Padishar sat up quickly in his bed and stared at Rhys intently trying hard to understand just what he was talking about…'gone'….. Who was gone? His men?

The thought brought Padishar to his feet at once leaping out of his bed and racing for his sword. "I'll cut them apart for abandoning us!" he shouted at the top of his voice grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head and forcing it down upon him.

Rhys grabbed Padishar by his shirt and shouted excitedly, "No! You fool! The soldiers, they're gone, all of them gone. They must have pulled out sometime in the middle of the night. It's over with Padishar, Tyrsis if freed!"

Padishar's eyes where opened wide with a surprise that his mind just could not comprehend. Donning his pants quickly and grabbing his sword, he raced out of his tunneled room, down the dark forbidding corridors, turning and tracing his steps that he has memorized until he was at the iron ladder leading out onto the street of Tyrsis. His breath caught in his chest and his wild eyes searching each corner where the guards had always stood and then snapping his eyes over the parapets overhead only to see no one was there. He heard Rhys running after him and calling out to him. Rhys was smiling from ear to ear when he came up to him once again.

Padishar turned sharply with eyes squinted and brow wrinkled in anger. "Those cowards!" he shouted out in hatred. "Tyrsis should not have been freed like this!"

Rhys cast unbelievable eyes upon the man who had fought the longest and the hardest to free Tyrsis and his behavior now greatly confused him. He should be shouting out in excitement as he was, verses faced with his friend's wrath.

"Padishar; we are freed!"

"This isn't how we should have been freed!" he snarled. "They stole our victory away from us. We should have won by our swords in their backs and our glory of battle upon every tongue within leagues of this city!"

Padishar lowered his sword to the ground in defeat and sorrow upon his face etched deeply. "I lost good men, Rhys. Men, I was proud to call my brother. Men who fought side by side with me, I watched them die! I held them in my arms and cried from their deaths. They will pay for this, my friend. They will pay until we have brought down every federation solider that dares wears those colors!"

Padishar raced to the guardhouse and climbed the staircase taking two steps at time until he reached the top. Shouting out to his men, he called them to knock on each door of Tyrsis and awaken everyone and tell them to come by the gates so he may speak with them.

Within the hour crowds began to gather, cheers began to roar through the crowd, everywhere people began to celebrate, hugging and kissing each other. Tyrsis was awake and for the first time, they woke to a morning of laughter and goodwill.

"Dwarves of Tyrsis! Men of the races of the four lands! My friends!" Padishar shouted to the crowd who now turned to him and listened high above them in the gatehouse balcony.

"This day you are free to your own will, to your own comings and goings. But where are your men, Tyrsis? Where are your husbands, your fathers, your brothers and your friends?" Padishar continued shouting to the crowd and paused a moment in his speech. "They're locked in chains and iron! They labor and die in the mines for the federation. Enslaved by their taskmasters, whipped and beaten! The federation gathers among themselves trying to build their force to great numbers that no army could defeat let alone defend. Then they will return to Tyrsis and retake her once again. Today we celebrate my friends and tomorrow we must gather ourselves men of all races into the largest army that has ever been seen upon our lands and together we will free ourselves to ever lasting peace that will long rein among the four lands and then we will all be finally free!"

The crowd raised their arms and shouted out to join Padishar Creel in this one great and final battle.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

To Arms

Tables lined the walkways of Tyrsis with long rows of old men, very old men and teenage boys of various ages. There were men missing a leg or an arm and even an ear and most all barely had any teeth. Some so thin and ragged and some so young that the bow was almost as big as they were. Some mother's were yanking and pulling, crying and screaming taking their young boys from the line, trying to force them back home and away from signing up for this war. Some were young women and some old hags and Padishar took them all as they would be needed in and between his own men. Bows and swords were handed out and his men took the new recruits in lines and began to teach them to string a bow and fire an arrow. Swords were given to the most able and the clanging and ringing of metal upon metal rang out in the streets of Tyrsis.

Homes were raided for food and supplies and the storage rooms began to fill. Women sewed, sharpened and nailed all manners of goods to support the troupes Padishar was assembling. The town's people of Tyrsis gathered laden piles of all sorts of iron materials from the homes, barns and workhouses. Fires were torched to there hottest levels melting iron and setting into molds. Hammers beat against anvils in straightening and fashioning new swords. The grinding stones roared and hissed with metal being sharpened and then clanged loudly as they were added to the piled of metal weaponry. Tyrsis was in the sounds of industry and war.

For all that was being done, Padishar felt hopelessness ever pressing upon him. These were not soldiers nor warriors or any manner of being able to withstand the seasoned fighters of the federation that stood almost ten thousand strong. He needed larger numbers of strong men able to weld a sword with equally firm determination that would stand even through the horrors of battle. Padishar needed men that he could trust who would not turn and run when battle was upon them. He had a thousand trolls and two thousand men of various races that were strong enough to withstand all that he was asking of them. Men and trolls that he had known and fought with during the course of his life, but now he needed more, he needed double, triple and quadruple the man power to win this war. He would not stop until he had the men that he needed. Hourly and daily, his men that were sent out to the regions of the four lands were returning bringing in rows of men wanting to fight the federation. There were one hundred strong men from Kern and five hundred from Varfleet and a thousand were expected coming from Calhaven. The Rovers came in great numbers or more than a thousand strong. Their wagons filled the fields and pasture lands, gullies and hillside in and around Callahorn. These men brought with them technologies such as building catapults and cross bows and medicines. They built war wagons and battering bars and still Padishar wanted more. He sent men racing to the corners of the four lands and even onto the elves to answer his call for freedom and then he waited there at Callahorn for as long as he was able.

Xxxx

The Druid stood his ground next to the fallen woman upon the rough stones at his feet. Unconscious and unaware of what was happening around her, Walker Boh looked into the eyes of the wolves and pushed his thoughts into their minds. "Leave the grounds of the Druids. You will not feast upon this woman's flesh!"

The wolves stopped in their tracks and hunched with their fur bristled out standing on end. Then through their thoughts they spoke back to Walker Boh.

"Druid, our prey's flesh is sweet and tasty and our stomachs are empty. We mean to eat what we have run to ground," the wolf snarled and sniffed the fresh scent of blood that filled the air all about them. Their mouths drooled in thick lather that dripped to the ground just thinking of having another mouthful of her flesh and blood.

The big moor cat perched on his front legs tightly pressed together, while his back legs were ready to pounce upon the wolves in a single pound. Staring intently at the wolves, it waited for his master's gesture.

"Remove yourselves from the Druids ground or you shall surely die where you stand," Walker Boh thoughts pressed upon the minds of the wolves. Being inside their thoughts, he also saw the others that had traveled with the woman stretched out upon the ground, dead where they had fallen. He also saw the distance this woman ran and it amazed him in wonder just thinking about it.

Cowering upon the ground in front of the Druid the wolves slowly backed away on hunched legs withdrawing from their attack.

Within moments they disappeared into the forest that surrounded the Druid's keep.

Walker's eyes instantly fell to the woman upon the ground at his feet and he lowered himself to his knees. He immediately saw the deep gashes upon her delicate white skin of her arm, blood rushing from the open wounds. Her long slender fingers were covered with thick dried and wet blood. Her hair appeared to be a golden color in long thick strands that swathe about her head and shoulders, but also covered in the color of red. Walker turned her over and brushed back the length of her hair from her face. Again he saw deep gashes upon her beautiful soft cheek and small tight curve of her chin. Her cheek bones were high as well as the feathery light colored eyebrows. Looking to her pointed ears, Walker instantly recognized that she was of elven descent. He gently draped her over his shoulder and carried her into his keep.

Bathing her wounds in the herbal medicines that could heal her and wrapping them tightly in bandages, her eyes suddenly opened and fear and horror of what she experienced exploded upon the expression of her delicate face and Walker instantly soothed her fears by his calming voice and lulled her back into a deep healing sleep. His hands were that of a healer and he worked reverently in caring for this woman.

"Sleep", he whispered to her over and over again, trying to remove the dreams of horror that played out in her mind in nightmares that continued haunting her sleep. Gently stroking her brow with the tips of his fingers, he placed his thoughts of a sun filled valley of fresh flowers and gently running river to replace her fearful dreams. He could sense that she relaxed and was breathing evenly. Deeper into the healing sleep she fell while Walker Boh watched over her.

The ears of the moor cat stood straight up as if he was homing in on some very distant sound. A low rumble of a growl began to grow within its throat and it brought Walker to his attention. Looking at the cat, Walker smiled and nodded towards it. Standing up and walking a few paces to the door, he opened it and turned back to the moor cat. "Well, should we greet another guest?" he teased and allowed the cat to go through the door first and he followed after it.

Heading towards the roof in his keep, Walker could hear the flapping of a great bird as it descended down upon its tiles. He climbed slowly up the long flight of stairs that headed to the roof and lifted the heavy iron bar that locked the entrance and walked out into the star lit sky and luminous full moon that seemed almost too big for the sky that surrounded Paranor. It was this kind of night that Walker Boh loved the most and instantly brought his memories back to his home in Darklin Reach and the security that he felt with himself upon those starry nights. Wren beckoned him with the wave of her hand while Triss was securing himself with a strap that went around his Roc. Seeing Walker approaching his charge, Triss nodded to Wren just as the Roc lifted off from the roof and flew into the night sky.

Greeting Wren and allowing her arms to reach around him, she gave him a welcoming hug. She could instantly feel the tightness of his muscles as he stiffened his back with her touch. Wren knew Walker Boh did not like to be touched nor hugged, but after the Shadowen wars, she wanted to show him her greatest appreciation in all that her uncle had done to free themselves from this great evil that poisoned the four lands and Arborlon.

"I came as soon as I got your letter, Walker. Is everything all right?"

Walker smiled intently viewing Wren as she stood before him. She was as he had always remembered her. Her red hair was wild and windblown and draped upon her shoulder in disarray. He saw in her eyes a curiosity, wonderment and excitement that was so much a part of who Wren was; a carefree soul with boundless energy for life. Being queen of the elves has not changed her and he thought then that nothing could possibly.

"Welcome, Wren to Paranor," Walker Boh stated. "We are still waiting for the others to arrive and I suspect it will not be too much longer before they too will turn up. I have called you here to begin the first of our Druid Counsel."

Wren took in a deep breath from the worry that her active mind and imagination created in why her uncle would summons her to Paranor. After the Shadowen war and creepers, she only prayed that this was not coming back to haunt her. She smiled and instantly relaxed. "I am proud and honored to be apart of your Druid Counsel."

"It is I who am equally grateful," he added. His expression again became serious and then he added, "Earlier today there was an elvish woman found on my grounds after the wolves attacked her and her company. I have her in my keep and tending to her wounds as she heals. She has been unconscious since I have found her so I do not know of her name or her origin. Perhaps you may know of her. Would you come with me to meet her?"

"Yes, Walker, of course, if you will lead, I will follow you," she spoke with worry in her voice and concern if it was one of her elves from Arborlon.

When they reached the room where the woman rested, Wren quickly approached her and knelt down next to her bed. Looking into the woman's face, she could barely recognize her from the wounds inflicted by the wolf attack. The side of her face began to swell and puncture wounds were deep and oozing. Wren looked at her clothes that lay about the floor that was reduced to torn rags and huge blood stains upon it. But looking closely, Wren recognized the elvish décor of the dress as that being of the new healers that she had sent out into the four lands. She did not think she knew of the woman personally her name or family, but she felt that she was from Arborlon. Turning back to her uncle, she told him, "Yes, Walker, I do not know her name, but she wears the cloth of our healers."

Wren's mood suddenly changed and Walker instantly recognized it. "Why do you sense a great feeling of sadness for his woman?"

Wren looked up into her uncles eyes, "It is the arrogance of the elvish people, Walker. She is disfigured of face and the great people of elves will not accept her. She will be cast aside and looked upon as an outsider. They will never allow her to live among us."

Walker's brow furrowed deeply while his emotions boiled inside of him. He knew what being an outsider meant and not being accepted among the community. He remembered Shady Vale as a boy when he lived there with Par and Coll and their family who he loved and trusted, but for the town's people, he held them at fault. He could almost feel the hatred and mistrust that they bestowed upon him. He could see again the strange looks that they gave him and especially the beatings he took just because he was different. Then the same sadness that Wren expressed, washed over the anger in his heart. His eyes lowered to the woman and saw first her beauty rather than her scares and spoke to Wren while he continued to gaze at the women. "Why is it, Wren, when you are perceived as different, no one can see the true quality of soul that makes you who and what you are?" Walker lightly touched the woman's face with the tip of his finger and knew in his heart that she would suffer more so after what she had already suffered trying to save her own life.

"I do not know, Walker, why this is so. I guess it is just that. It is the people's fault and how they perceive and judge their own selves and those around them. When something is just out of balance they fear it and because they fear it, they just will not try to understand it. Perhaps the Rovers will take her once she is healed. I can speak to them and teach her the ways and life of being a Rover. It is about the best that she could hope for."

"Thank you, Wren. Then I will leave her under your care."

Walker left Wren to tend the woman while he sot his own room to rest. Walking the corridor of his keep, he had a feeling of other guests' arrival coming within reach of Paranor. He descended the long staircases to greet them.

Xxx

Coll's eyes raised in wonderment taking in the great towering building of the Druid's keep. He had seen the keep only in the stories that they told of it but standing in front of it gave him awe and astonishment. Turning to his brother he smiled as he spoke. "So what do we do now, Par?" he asked at bit confused because he saw no door or bell to gain the attention of their uncle.

Par smiled at Coll as he was always trying to think one step ahead of his next actions. "Be patient Coll, he already knows we are here."

Coll's eyes returned to the Druid's keep, eyes wandering everywhere taking it all in. "It's quite something isn't Par, more magnificent up close than in our stories."

"Yes, it is," Par commented staring at the keep with his brother.

They pointed at parapets and the towers retelling the stories to each other of what they already knew of Paranor and did not hear the click of the release spring that opened the door of the keep.

Walker Boh stood behind them and watched them for a moment while they were admiring Paranor. He gave them a smirk and spoke, "If I were a thief, I would have had your pocketbooks by now."

Par and Coll turned around quickly to greet their uncle. "Knowing that you are not gives us no reason to watch our backs and allows us our time to admire your keep."

Walker's eyes roamed the towering walls of Paranor and then back to his nephews. "It is not the peace and tranquility of Darklin Reach, but I have made this my home."

Par and Coll looked at each other and then back at the Druid standing before them. They both knew their uncle's love for his previous home, and also knew of all that had befallen it. They too held its memory of it after spending sometime there searching for him.

"Come with me, Wren has already arrived and we must greet her." Walker's words broke the silence between them and their memories that floated in their minds. Turning with their uncle they followed him into the keep.

Walker led them just into the doorway of his dinning room that was well lit and warm from the fire that glowed from the hearth. Turning to his guests and announced, "Please pour yourself a glass of wine, Paranor has an excellent wine cellar with the rarest wines that can be found in all of the four lands. I will find Wren and escort her back here."

Both Coll and Par nodded to their uncle and walked further into the charismatic room meticulously arranged and decorated that gave welcome and promise of a wondrous meal to be served.

All about the room elaborate candelabras that were spaciously placed on tables and mantles added to the warm glow of the ancient room as did the candle chandeliers hung suspended with heavy metal chains upon the monolithic ceiling. The table laden with generous servings of various meats and soups and breads all prepared for and made ready for his guests. There were five place settings set out on the massive table that housed sixteen wooden carved chairs. Setting next to the tall candelabra was a very old wine bottle and a tray of five sculptured wine glasses. The bottle sat open with a taster's glass sitting next to it that had already been tested.

Par and Coll poured themselves each a full glass and stood silently looking over the room. They both remembered another time when they went in search for Walker at Darklin Reach only to find a well prepared table, but he was no where to be found. It felt similar to them standing in this room waiting for there host to appear with Wren.

Wren walked in the dinning room without Walker Boh and greeting Par and Coll with a warm smile and a friendly hug.

"Where is Walker, Wren?" Par asked after their greeting.

Looking out into the corridor to see if he had returned yet, and then back to Par, she told him, "Walker is greeting another visitor who had momentarily just arrived. He should be with us before too long. He said the wine in something very special for us to try. Have you had a glass?"

"Yes, and it is everything that he said it would be. I have never tasted anything like this, it wonderful!" Par added and went to pour Wren a glass.

"The last time we were all together like this was when the Shade of Allanon charged us with duties in defeating the Shadowen," Coll added off handedly without thinking about what he was saying or suggesting.

Par's shocked expression raised to Wren suddenly and he stammered in his speech to Wren, "Y-y-you don't think that Walker is planning on charging us with another mission, do you? Is that why he has called us together again?"

The big moor cat bounded into the room prancing to a stop and Wren looked over to the cat. Before she could answer, Walker Boh strolled into the room with Morgan Leah behind him.

"No, Par, not entirely a new mission so to speak, but something close to that," Walker stated.

"Come let us set down for our evening meal and I will tell you all what needs there are."

Morgan shook Par's hand and then brought him into a masculine embrace, patting his back firmly. "It is so nice to see you again, Par and Coll."

Par gave Morgan a warm smile and greetings and then moved back away to let Coll greet him and he walked with the others to the table and sat down next to Walker.

While the meal was passed down to each guests at the Druid's table, Walker began to address his most concerning issues.

"We all know the war with the federation is foremost at hand. We have eliminated the dark magic of the Shadowen and its creepers. There is no threat facing the men of the four lands, but men just like themselves. I have called you together for your oaths to keep it that way. No talisman nor any magic that we process can be used to offset this battle to free the men of races from the domination of the federations no matter how we feel of whatever outcome is at hand. I do possess some insight to future events, but this one is shielded from my view. There is no magic of any kind in and between the warring parties. They are equal in their abilities. Where no magic exist, so is my abilities to see those events, they are closed to me. Your talismans must not leave Paranor until the outcome of this war is determined."

Morgan and Par began to speak at the same time with their questions, "Walker, I have promised Padishar Creel that I would help him and I am bound to that promise. We must aid him in this war!"

Walker held his hand out in front of him to stop them from questioning any further, "Par, you can not enter into this war nor help Padishar Creel in any manner. The use of your magic even at its present state would offset the natural balance of magic that is in the elements while the four lands are healing. Your presents alone, in this war, would be more temptation than you are capable of handling. With the powers that you three possess, Wren, Par and Morgan, would not be fair against men of this world. The magic would corrupt you and change everyone and everything that we hold true in our lives and within the four lands."

Wren was the first to agree and untied the elfstones from around her neck and handed those to Walker Boh. "I have already felt what you speak, Walker, when we were at war with the federations. I wanted to save my people from certain death that was all around us and I held the elfstone in my hands to strike down the men of the federation and I pulled my hand away knowing I could have killed them all. I could feel the corruption of the magic wanting to take hold. I stayed my hand and allowed the natural course of war, I felt helpless as I watched. You are right, Walker, this magic was not made to kill mortal man. If we use the magic for this, then we become the monsters of the magic and equal to shadowen and creepers."

"Yes, Wren, that is what I mean," stated Walker and looked at Par, Coll and Morgan.

Morgan looked over to at his Sword of Leah and he knew also that to save Padishar or himself that the magic would come to him within those moments and he too would be corrupted by its magic. He had felt this also when the use of the magic overpowered him. "When the war is over with Walker, I'll be first in line to collect my sword."

Walker smiled when he accepted Morgan's sword and promised an oath to him that he would be there to return it to him promptly.

Through out the course of their meal the five spoke of other matters concerning their gifts of magic, Paranor and the four lands. They promised Walker that all the things that they spoke about would remain a secret and kept only within the walls of Paranor.

When the meal ended, Walker escorted them to individual rooms for them to sleep and he went back to the woman's room to see how she was doing. Sitting beside her upon the bed, he could see that she rested comfortable and still deep within her healing sleep. Staring at the woman, his thoughts traveled back to what Wren had told him about what her life would be like. It still weighed heavily upon his mind. Standing he began to pace letting his thoughts wander about what he went through and the loss of his own arm. He wondered how this was going to effect this woman when she awoken to discover her devastation and lose of her beauty. He remembered all he went through during his healing of his arm. He remembered Quickening and how she had save him from the poison that could have taken his life. Then when the fever had broken and he began to feel his strength return and becoming aware of the difficulties he suffered of not having that arm. His clothing felt odd and awkward and his struggles to maneuver in the care of his own needs. But he had the magic that had helped him. He wished that he possessed magic enough to heal this girl from her scares and free her from a life that had tortured him when everyone around him could not accept his differences. Was she to suffer that same fate that he had?

Walker saw the large mirror that was mounted upon the far wall and he walked over to it and peered at himself. He looked at how his clothing fit upon his shoulders and the sleeve just dangling empty at his side. He tried to remember how it felt having his arm at one time, but his mind could not remember. Walker was so engrossed into his thoughts that he was not aware when Wren and Par came into the room. Wren had told Par about the elvish woman that Walker had found after an attack from the wolves. Par wanted to see her.

Standing in the room and seeing Walker's sadness as he examined the empty space to where his arm had once belonged, touched Par's heart and he began to sing and let the wishsong give his uncle what he sot.

Walker Boh's arm suddenly appeared within the frame of the mirror and he raised his eyes to the mirror so he could see behind him without turning around. Seeing Par and Wren standing behind him, he returned his gaze back to his arm and he lifted his magic arm and moved it to his will. Walker could almost feel the strength that he once bore and swiftness and ease of motion. He could almost feel the blood coursing through this arm just before it disappeared once more. Walker smiled and turned around to face Par and Wren. "Thank you, Par for allowing me a few minutes to feel whole once more."


	3. Chapter 3

Casting Doubt

Chapter 3

Rhys walked into the guardhouse where Padishar had set up his new headquarters after moving out from the moles tunnels. For Rhys he did not want to see another tunnel for the rest of his life. He was use to the openness of being outdoors and not sealed away in darken holes hiding and planning out sneak attacks upon his enemies. He liked the straight forward approach to solving any problems that he came up against, meeting everything head on, with the hilt of a sword in his hand, if need be. There was never any strategizing tactics or looking for weakness in his enemies or planning long term offensive maneuvers. If he had an enemy it was always him or them and let the better man win. If they were not strong with a sword, then they had met their match with him. He was getting impatient with Padishar and all the plans and ideas he was making. He had often found his friend in odd company for a leader of the Free-born who was planning out strategic maneuvers against the federation forces. For instant, the other day, Rhys could not quite figure out why Padishar insisted on buying a large herd of goats from a local farmer or thinning out some of his strongest allies the trolls who resembled more rock than man. They were huge, strong and strange creatures. Each day Padishar had sent out 5 to 10 trolls to unknown destinations and as far as Rhys could tell none of them ever returned back to Tyrsis. Each day there was just less and less of them.

If one of those big fellows decided to sit down and take a rest, you could barely tell where the rocks started and where they ended because the size and looks of the trolls blended into the rocky scenery around them.

Rhys spent most of his days with his band of Rovers in building the catapults or latching down the string on a crossbow. Now that was real power that would send any army on the retreat if you had enough of them. With the great number of Rovers assembled by Tyrsis, they would have a good many of them ready before they would make their move on the federation. This was the reason why Rhys went into the guardhouse to find Padishar and confront him on when he planned to move the Free-born to engage with the enemy and get this war over with.

Rhys found Padishar as he was talking with Matty Roh and handed her a Sheppard's staff and a sword and sent her on her way, saying his farewells to her. Rhys turned to him and asked, "Where are you sending her?"

"She is going to be tending my new herd of goats I just purchased," commented Padishar.

"What? Another herd! That is what I do not understand about you, Padishar, you ought to be worrying about how you are going to get close enough to the federation forces instead of worrying over your goats," Rhys stated sounding very perturbed with Padishar's lack of command with the Free-born men that he had assembled.

"Rhys you just worry about those catapults and crossbows you are building and let me worry about my goats and the federation forces. Goats still need to be fed and tended to even when you are planning a war," Padishar warned him.

"Goats!" Rhys cursed under his breath after he closed the door to the guardhouse and left Padishar there to deal with his farming duties. There was only one way in and one way out into the Valley of the Dragon's Teeth. The mountains surrounding it were too high and too dangerous to cross and you could not get catapults over those mountains. The federation would have guards heavily posted in and around the only trail leading into the Valley of the Dragon's Teeth. They would be able to see them coming from leagues away. There was no chance of any surprise attack. What was Padishar thinking or not thinking? Rhys questioned himself. He had never seen the leader of the Free-born acting so irresponsible, so he must have something up his sleeve. He was a hard man to figure out.

He was pulled from his thoughts when a lovely woman with long red hair entered through the gates of Tyrsis. She wore a white billowy blouse that was loose about her shoulder and tight fitting black vest and a long dark orange skirt that was just inches from the ground. Upon her feet, she wore black leather boots that disappeared within the long skirt. She had a rucksack strapped to her back and tied around her small waist. He stopped to watch her while she walked passed him and headed straight to the guardhouse. He saw Padishar open the door and warmly greeting his woman that intrigued him.

"Where is Par and Coll?" Padishar asked Damson after he greeted her. "Will they be coming soon?"

"They're at Palanor visiting their uncle," Damson began. "I heard that Tyrsis was freed, so I left Shady Vale where I was staying with the Ohmsfords until Par and Coll came back. I just could not sit back after hearing this wonderful news. I had to come and see for myself. I left word to them to join me here."

"Well, at least, I am glad that you are here. There are not that many that I trust to led this large group of freedom fighters into a war. We are going to have to break many of these men into smaller groups. I will need you to take one of those groups and do as I tell you when the time comes. Will you do this for me, Damson?" Padishar asked her.

"Yes, Father," she whispered. "Then you are going to free the dwarves from the mines?"

"Sssh, Damson," Padishar insisted. "We do not want anyone to ever know that you are my daughter. If anyone was to find that out, even among these ragtag fighters, would have a great leverage in undoing all our plans. You can not trust anyone with that information."

"Well, then which group of these misfits do you want me to take charge of?"

Padishar casually put his arm around her neck and shoulder letting his arm dangle and asked her, "Do you remember where the wine cellars are in Tyrsis?"

Damson knew her father better than most of his friends and comrades. If he was interested in wine, you could bet that is wasn't his thirst or quality of the wine he was considering. Damson raised her brow knowingly towards her father and commented, "Yes of course, it is exactly where you had once taken me many times during our stay in Trysis."

Padishar gave her a wink and lead her off down the walkway and away from the guardhouse.

Rhys rolled his eyes after watching them from a good distance away. "That's exactly what Padishar needed, another distraction!" he fumed to himself and scuffed off through the gate of Tyrsis and over to the row of wagons and his group of Rovers.

Xxx

Walker Boh could barely sleep from the restless thoughts and forewarnings that kept creeping in his thoughts. It wasn't something that he could put a finger on, just something that did not feel right. The talismans were locked up and he had Par's oath not to use his magic to change any outcome in the war with the Free-born and Federation. This should have eased the worry and tension that he was feeling and sensing, but it did not. It was still there, it was still something out there, something that he was still not sure of.

So Walker paced within his room, he tried to sleep upon his bed, but it was a futile effort. He poured himself a strong drink and it helped a bit to take the edge off, but still not enough to chase away those ever pressing dark thoughts of doom and foreboding.

Then in those dark thoughts, the woman kept coming into his mind. There was something about her, something more than his feelings of pity for her. It was like everything was pointing to her, secret warning that he needed to pay attention to. Who was this woman? And why did it feel like she was haunting his very soul?

So on through the night until early morning, Walker Boh thought, worried and wondered.

With the raising sun, he had enough and decided to find Wren in seeking more information about the healers of Arborlon.

"Wren?" whispered Walker Boh through the close wooden door of her chamber. "Wren, are you awake?" He stood there in silence a moment waiting for any sound from within the room.

He heard a light rattle of the door handle and waited while the door slowly crept opened. Wren appeared peeking out from the slight opening of the door and saw that it was Walker Boh who had called out to her.

"Walker, is there something wrong?" she questioned him.

"No, not really, Wren," he paused a moment while she opened the door further and allowed him to come in. Turning to her after she closed the door, he continued, "I need to know everything that you can tell me of the healer's from Arborlon."

Wren brushed back and smoothed the tangles of hair from about her face and head, trying to put on some semblance to her rumbled looks after only just getting up from her bed. Knowing the early hour of the morning, she wondered why this question was so urgent for him. She stifled back a yawn arising within her and allowed herself to stretch the stiffness of her arms and legs. Strolling back to her bed, she sat down upon it and left room for Walker to sit beside her. "What do you wish to know about them?"

"What skills of magic do your healer's possess?" Walker asked her, but chose not to sit down upon the bed, but stood directly in front of Wren.

"Healers are chosen among our people who possess gifts of magic that they are born with. The magic forms within their touch of their hands. It only cures pain, illness and injury. The magic is fleeting and it decides who will be cured or not cured. The healers are only vessels of this magic and can not be called upon it of their own free will. The magic heals only those that it wishes."

Walker stood in silence thinking about what Wren had told him and began searching his insight of those feelings that kept him up all night.

Staring at Walker, Wren tried to figure out why he needed this information so early in the morning. She knew that he was very concerned about this woman's scares upon her face and what this would mean for her. So she added another remark to him, "It is seldom that their own magic can heal their own infirmity, Walker. If that was so, then they would have immortality and the magic will never allow it."

Walker Boh looked at Wren questioningly for a moment before it dawned on him why she would mention this. Nodding his head as he remember their conversation they had yesterday, he thanked Wren and shown himself to the door and went out into the corridor. Shutting the door behind him, Walker strolled aimlessly with his mind focused on what he felt of pending warnings. He could not determine just what it was, but he was sure it had to do with this woman.

Walker stopped when he realized that he was standing close to the woman's door and he decided to go into her room and watch her for a while. Slowly his hand reached to the handle to lift the lever to open the door and he paused for only a moment. Then a fast flash of movement caught his attention from the far corner of his eye and he heard a low gargling growl as the big, black moor cat came to a stop just at the back of Walker's legs.

"Rumor," he whispered almost chiding the big cat for his abilities to suddenly appear from no where and at moments that would startle him.

Standing next to his master, Rumor lowered his big head and rubber it against the side of Walker's leg and got between him and the door in which he wished to enter.

The Druid's eyes lowered to the big cat and reached his hand to move him away from the door. Then without warning a shrill, high scream and the smashing of glass shattered from the inside of the room and breaking the still sounds in the corridor that Walker stood.

Walker snapped his hand to the door lever and pulled it open while pushing pass the moor cat effortlessly. Standing in the middle of the room with only a candle light glowing from the mantle, the woman was surrounded by shards of glass upon the stone floor. The pieces of mirror reflected the small light of the candle and sent glaring rays in all directions. The sight of this caused a spontaneous inner vision to explode across Walker's mind and he envisioned this woman being lifted from the ground by an ominous, piercing, bright-light that was upon her and within her and her presence was that of pure evil. Then as fast as the vision appeared it equally was gone and Walker focused his eyes upon this woman standing alone among the shards of broken glass.

In her hand she still held onto the iron candelabra that she had used to break the mirror that was mounted upon the wall. She now held it threateningly before her. "Stay away from me!" she shouted hysterically through her tears and sobbing.

But for Walker fearing the presence within his vision he had, ignored her plea coming further into the room.

"Stop!" she shrieked, "Don't come any closer!"

Walker paused a moment staring intently at this woman not knowing what to expect from her. Whether it was fear of him or her intent to use magic against him to stop him, he was not so sure. Not until Rumor pounced into the room with his glowing eyes upon her and his sharp growl and showing of his fangs that caused her to faint in fear upon the stone floor.

Walker ran to her and knelt beside her. He was about to place his hand behind the back of her neck to lift her into his lap, when his hand caught a sharp piece of glass and cut it deeply open. He flinched from the sudden pain it caused and then a moment later when Wren, Morgen, Par and Coll came running into the room after hearing the breaking of glass and this woman's screams. They came closer and stood around Walker and the woman. It was Morgan and Par who picked up the woman and carried her back to her bed, while Wren tore a piece of her hem of her nightgown to wrap around her uncle's wound to stop the bleeding of his hand.

They heard the woman's voice sheik again when she came awake and saw Morgan and Par trying to help her. "It is all right, you are safe now," reassured Par in his gentle spoken manner. Seeing the elven features of Par, the woman settled back down upon the bed and believed what he had spoken.

Walker could hear Par beginning to tell her what had happened to her in the woods and how his uncle had found her and rescued her from the wolves.

Walker Boh came around the bed after Wren had secured the bandage upon his hand and watched and listened to Par's and Morgan's conversation they had with her.

"Tell us, what is your name?" Morgan asked her.

"My name is Llewelyn," she spoke softly looking both at Par and Morgan and then over to Walker Boh.

Wren came around and stood next to Walker and Llewelyn eyebrows raised in recognition upon seeing the queen of Arborlon and she gasped sitting up straight upon the bed. "My lady!" she declared in shock not knowing why the queen of the elves would be standing here before her. Then she remembered the scares upon her face and she immediately covered it with her hands. Trembling, she burst into tears. "Do not look upon me, my lady, for I am scarred and hideous and my fairness of elvish looks stolen from me."

Wren went to her and put her arms around her to comfort her. "You need not hide from me, Llewelyn of Arbonlon, chosen healer among our people. My eyes are not closed to you, nor is my heart, dear child." Her voice was soft and comforting. "Open your eyes and look upon me. You will see that I have not turned from you."

Llewelyn slowly lowered her hands from her face and shyly raised her eyes to look upon the queen of the elves. For only a moment their eyes faced each other and Llewelyn could see no repulsion, but only compassion, love and understanding.

"Oh, my lady!" she sobbed and fell into Wren's embrace.

Wren held and comforted her in her arms until Llewelyn stopped crying. "My uncle who has found you and cared for your wounds with healing herbs has lessened the scaring upon your face. You will heal, Llewelyn."

Llewelyn raised her eyes to Walker Boh until both their eyes had met. Walker's piercing stare was that of doubt and uncertainty as he tried to assess this woman before him and whether she carried within her the evil presence from what he had envisioned of her. Her eyes were as blue as a cloudless sky that shimmer and sparkled from the tears that filled them. He sensed a kindness and caring that went far beyond what he had ever experienced from others that he had met. The vision he had of her could not have been real, but something of trickery to confuse him. Walker came closer to Llewelyn and sat next her.

Llewelyn lowered her eyes from the intense stare coming from Walker Boh. She saw that his hand was bleeding freely through the bandage wrapped tightly around it. Gently she took his hand and held it. Walker immediately felt the magic of healing rising from her hands and entering into his wound. He allowed this magic to touch him and felt its healing from within. It moved through his entire body weaving and searching for any infirmities and heightened his sensations. His mind felt clearer and rested, his breathing became evenly, his heartbeat stronger and the dead numbness of his nerves from his severed arm began to tingle and nerves began to suddenly awaken. Then in a moments time he saw the seeping of blood stop from the bandage and he unwrapped it to see the wound completely healed and only a small white scare remained. Her magic had completely healed him from within and without his body.

Walker's eyes softened towards this woman and felt her inner being. She possessed no evil of any kind, but only of a heart that wished to serve others in the talents and skills that she owned. She had a love of others that out weighed anything that he had ever experienced before. Walker Boh's smile was as gentle and greeting when he gazed back into her eyes. "Thank you, Llewelyn," he whispered softly to her.

"I do not have the healing powers that you possess, but only knowledge of the druids to heal the scares upon your face. In time and much medicines of science that will see you healed and your scares lessened. I will do all that I can to help you," Walker gently encouraged her.

"Thank you, Walker Boh, for your great kindness," Llewelyn weakly spoke feeling exhausted from the magic evoked to heal the druid and her previous weakened condition.

"Rest, Llewelyn," spoke Walker and stood from her bed and covered her with a blanket. Returning to the others in the room, he ushered them out with him and closed the door so she could sleep.

"Walker, that was amazing," commented Coll. He could not stop his inquisitive questions after seeing someone healed by magic. "What did if feel like? Did it hurt when she healed you?"

Walker smiled at Coll and brought his hand up to view it and to show Coll and Par.

"A few moments ago your hand had a deep cut and now you can hardly see the scare that it left!" Coll spoke with renewed enthusiasm looking at his uncles hand and then over to Morgan and Par.

Wren took Coll's arm and turned him around to walk with her down the corridor and then into the dinning room to serve everyone some breakfast. She could almost feel her uncle's sigh from all of Coll's questions.

Walker was still thinking about his vision of Llewelyn and the meaning of this. He trusted the visions that he had, but he also understood that it was interpretable. Events that could happen if the path to the vision is unaltered and this path he wished to explore further.

Turning to Par, Walker asked him, "I would appreciate it if you would look after Llewelyn and see to it that what ever she needs, will be done for her. I have something that I must attend to and I will be in my chambers for sometime."

Par nodded to his uncle and promised him that he would. Watching his uncle, Walker turned from them and went in the direction of his room and left them standing in the corridor of his keep.

Entering his chambers, Walker Boh locked his door and went over to his bed and sat down. After making himself comfortable, he opened his mind and willed himself into a druid's sleep sending his spirit across the four lands in search of the key to his vision and answers to the beginning path of this great evil yet to be revealed to him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A Single Act

On the darkest path, to the farthest tunnel, of the most concealed area of the mine within the base of the Dragon's Teeth, a single dwarf raised his hammer against his chisel to break apart the thick kimberlite stone. He worked in secrecy from the well made plan that the dwarves conceived to keep the federation away from this area. He wore a solid iron chain around his ankles to prevent him from escaping and gave evidence to his enslavement by the federation. Thousands of dwarf men that were captured in the seize of the federation was forced to dig in the mine for precious stones that the dwarves have once dug as free men for their own race. The federation kept their armies well supplied by the diamonds that the dwarves have dug up and their greed had no end as they became exceedingly rich. There was one strike after another in pockets within the mine of raw diamonds that filled buckets completely full. The federation was piling bags of raw diamonds monthly and they pushed the dwarves to dig faster and deeper.

However, the federation was not miners by trade and they had no experience in this type of labor as the dwarves were experts in this field. One dwarf in particular was considered the most leading expert in finding, digging and cutting these special stones. What he found on the lowest level of the mine was the biggest diamond that had ever been seen in the world of the four lands. He had broken thorough four-layers of kimberlite and still had not gotten to the core of this precious stone. The radius of this stone was almost as round has his well supported stomach that hung over his leather belt in which he claimed pride of.

To keep the federation away from this area, the old dwarf, Cullinan would give up small pockets of smaller diamonds from the blue ground and had them transported to other areas of the cavern to lead the federation soldiers away from this lower level where he worked.

All the dwarves protected Cullinan and gave him warning if any federation soldiers were any where near his area and this stone. The dwarves would shake their chains secured around their ankles whenever the soldiers were about. This gave Cullinan time to cover the stone and move from his position. When the soldiers became too inquisitive, Cullinan had paid them off with polished cut diamonds that he cleaned behind the backs of those who jailed him. Lining the pockets of the guards kept their mouths shut and their pockets full. The guards knew that they would never get a cut of the lion's share of the diamonds as the higher-ups in charge of their regiment, taking it all for themselves.

Cullinan's chisel suddenly snapped in half and fell to bits from his hand. This was the fifth chisel that he had broken trying to take out this large diamond. He searched his belt and only found his best chisel that he had fashioned out of a shard of diamond and mounted it on an iron handle. He used this chisel to cut the diamonds that he had found and shape them into extraordinary pieces of polished stone. He had found by using diamond upon diamond the hardest element known only to dwarves would cut each other to the shapes that he wished. He also found by rubbing diamond shaving against the stones that he cut would polish them to such a luster that they gleamed and sparkled to the radiance that he had never seen before. Each diamond that he fashioned was as individual as a person upon the four lands, each one having its own characteristic; its shape, its color and its clarity. He loved them as if they were a part of his own family.

Cullinan cringed at the thought of using this special chisel that he made, but time was of the essence and the largest diamond that he had ever seen was his for the taking. It was he that would birth this precious stone from the kimberlite and would bring it life.

Tinner walked by Cullinan's tunnel with a younger dwarf guarding this entrance and commented to his friend, "Either the old fellow has broken his chisel again or he's freed that there stone!" he chuckled to the other upon hearing the constant tapping coming to a complete halt.

"Don't you think we should take a peek inside to make sure?" his younger friend began to worry. After all he thought a diamond that size was priceless. "Do you think that Cullinan would try to keep a diamond like that for himself?"

"Cullinan does not possess one greedy bone in his entire body, lad!" Tinner retorted to his younger friend. "There's not an honest, kinder or nobler dwarf than Cullinan. It isn't the wealth of a stone that stirs his heart. It is the stone in itself that possesses him. There is not a dwarf standing that can match the skills in which his hands hold. I trust my life to that dwarf, lad. You might consider the same."

XXX

In the dimension of spirit in which Walker Boh was now apart of, flowing upon the wind in spirals of bright colors that surrounded him and moved with him. The land and the things that were upon the land appeared shadowy and translucent while the wind bore their master upon their wings and carried him to his will. From above the ridge of the Dragon's Teeth and looking down upon its base in the open valley surrounded by its mountains, Walker Boh could see ten's of thousands of men of the federation creating and maintaining a structured military strong hold against anyone who would oppose them. He could see the dwarves in chains upon their ankles working the mine with their enslavers cracking whips and keeping them in line. There was an endless flow of Kimberlite or blue ground that was taken out of the mine in rows of carts to be washed and sifted in the flowing creek that came down from the mountains. Walker could see the red poisoning of the fresh water as it traveled out of the Dragon's Teeth and flowed further down to neighboring towns and villages in the countryside of Callahorn. Anger kindled within Walker Boh's heart by the poisoning of the land and water.

He already knew of the evil that existed within the Dragon's Teeth, the evil that had once took his arm in the Valley of the Kings. The federation and the dwarves did not concern themselves with this part of the mountain and perhaps never knew of its existence. Their focus was at the base of the farthest mountain in the caverns that the dwarves had hollowed out searching for precious stones to fortify their cities that they built, especially that of Tyrsis. When the Shadowens and Federation attacked they seized their towns, all their holdings and now their mine of precious stones. Now that The Shadowens was defeated, Tyrsis freed, this was the last stronghold left to the federation and where they would make their final stand. Walker felt for certain that their was something in the mine more than just precious stones and perhaps the dwarves had dug too deep and uncovered a secret magic billions of years old, something that just lay dormant until it chose to show itself. Walker did not sense the evil presence that he saw in his vision of Llewelyn, but he knew it had to be here within that mine.

Then something else caught his attention, something that moved in the peaks of the Dragon's teeth; something that was just out of place. It seemed that the rocks had stood up and walked a few paces and then sat themselves down again to rest. Walker looked closer and saw that they were not rocks at all, but trolls making their way against the guards of the federations that was stationed all around the high peaks as look out posts. He also saw herds of goats moving upon the mountain. That was nothing out of the ordinary for what Walker had first saw, but he had never seen the number of goats to be this many. Then there was something also very strange about some of these goats; the way that some of them moved, appeared larger than what goats ought to look like. Upon closer inspection, he saw bows and quivers strapped to their backs and booted feet from under their skins and there were hundreds of these types of goats mixed within the normal herd.

The war was starting and strategies well planned, in fact brilliantly executed. The Free-born fighters had a leader who knew how to surprise and entire regiment of seasoned fighters.

Walker also saw wagons of wine barrels entering into the only pass going into the Dragon's Teeth being lead by parsons of what looked like the local abbey selling their wines to the federation. But after seeing what he had already saw, he was not too sure that they were who they seemed.

Yes, the war was starting, but where was the force of armies that backed up this well formed plan of first attack?

Walker looked further down the roads and into hidden valleys and thick clusters of forest areas and then he saw them, rows of catapults just moving within the forest, the tall poles and baskets hidden within the tall rows of the forest trees. Then in the valley just on the other side was hundreds of thousands of men stationed in a tent city and spread out for miles upon miles.

He saw the big roc's moving large baskets of elvish warriors into the mix of this huge tent city. He wondered why Wren had not mentioned this to him in their talks perhaps she was not even aware of this; so secret that this plan was not even given to the queen of the elves to approve. Walker thought this interesting and caused him to wonder more about this. Walker looked at the distance that this army must travel in order to get caught up with the line of first attackers and he thought that it was impossible to move this great number of men that fast. The first attackers would be wiped out instantly and the federation able to regroup for this major attack by the Free-born fighters. What were they think? Walker Boh wondered taking all of this in. He knew he had to get back to his keep and warn the others of what he just saw. The vision and evil warning had to wait until it decided to show itself. There was nothing he could do about it until it did and his only clue was the woman, Llewelyn.

XXXX

Rumor prowled the corridor growling and prancing with his ears widely spread listening to a very distant, but recently familiar sound. His bright eyes glowing in the low lighting of the long corridor while he passed the visitors his master invited into Paranor. Wren and Morgon watched the big cat which seemed about the same size of a smaller horse.

"He's on to something, Wren," Morgon commented while watching the big cat that seemed to be on the hunt for something. "Walker has himself a special kind of moor cat. Look how he is tracking, he senses something that we can not hear or even aware of its coming. Let's follow this cat to see what he is so interested in."

"I agree, Morgon. So many times in my life had animals gave me warnings that have literally saved my life."

While they followed the big moor cat which lead them through rotundas, down long corridors and up longer staircases and through tunnels until it reached the staircase heading up towards the roof of Paranor. That is when Wren heard the fluttering of a large winged bird and heard its claws touching down upon the tiles. She bolted from Morgon's side and raced up the staircase to the heavy iron door that was bared leading out to the roof. She knew immediately that one of her winged riders has come seeking for her.

Morgon was at her side and helped to lift the iron bar that sealed the door and swung open the roof's door. Walking out onto the roof, Wren saw the large Roc, Tiger Ty and Triss. The large basket that had carried elvish soldiers was still attached to the large bird.

"Triss!" Wren shouted out to him while she ran towards him. Morgon slowly walked allowing Wren some time to speak privately with one of her trusted aids.

"My lady, I have come with warnings. Your generals of your armies have employed our warriors in fighting the federations. Our Roc's have carried hundreds in our baskets to the free-born fighters a few leagues from the base of the Dragon's Teeth. Our Rocs' are bringing in more as we speak. Forgive me, my lady I could not reach you sooner to bring you tidings of this great and awful news."

"It is all right, Triss," Wren began to explain. "We of the counsel have agreed if the free-born needed us to fight the federation that we would answer their call. Barsimmon Oridio knew that he had my blessings before I left Arborlon. I am just surprised it is so soon."

Wren turned to Morgon Leah and stated, "We can not wait for Walker Boh to return to us. We must gather ourselves at once and join the free-born and my troupes."

"Yes, Wren, I will find Par and Coll and meet you here at once." Morgon turned and ran to the roof's iron door and then down the staircase seeking his friends.

The big moor cat prowled and paces upon the roof's tiles watching and listening to what the others spoke about. Wren, seeing the big cat and understanding the druid's magic and speaking with animals, approached with caution. "Rumor, do what you can to find Walker Boh. He must be told what has happened and where we are going."

She watched the moor cat turn and go back into Paranor. She knew that Rumor understood what she had told him. Turning back to Triss and Tiger Ty, she told them that she would only be a moment while she gathered some of her things and rushed through the door and down the staircase.

Few moments later, Par, Coll and Morgon met Wren in the corridor after they had gathered some of their things they brought to Paranor; all but their magic talismans in which they promised Walker Boh.

"Par and Coll, I will understand if you both decide not to come with us to fight against the federation. I know your oaths you have given to Walker Boh. But if you would consider standing with my counsel in the base camp, you could to offer your guidance and wisdom in preparing for this war. You would never see any battle and my home guards would see to your safety."

"Yes, Wren, we will join you. It is the least that we can do," Par immediately told her and then added. "What about Llewelyn? Shall we take her with us?"

"No, Par. She is still too weak from her injury and she would do better here, with Walker looking after her. I will go to her and explain this to her."

Within a few minutes, they stood upon the roof of Paranor and waited while Triss checked the straps and hooks of the basket before he assisted them into it. Triss joined Wren with her friends in the basket while Tiger Ty guided his roc in a spectacular lift off from the roof of Paranor. The big Roc's wings with its enormous wingspan flapped creating wind gust within the basket that blew them from their sitting position against each other. Morgon let out a cry of fear as the basket jerked, bounced and weaved before it settled in mid-air and then floated gently upon the breeze. Wren put her arms around Morgon to comfort him from his fear, while Triss shook his head wondering if this was the famous Morgon in which Wren has spoken of.

Coll was memorized by the flight of the big Roc and he watched its enormous wings spread out above him while they sailed thorough the twilight sky.

XXXX

Aloud crash and then a muffled thud followed by an ear piercing screech brought Walker Boh sitting straight up in his bed in total darkness. Listening to the riotous noise, he wondering what was happening within his keep.

"You get away from me!" He heard the woman's voice scream. "Someone, anyone, help me!" she cried out wailing.

Walker leaped to his feet into his darken chambers fearing something of the worst must of happened to his guests. He put his arm out in front of him to feel across his room for the nearest wall and then to find his door. Instead of contact with the wall, Walker hit his knee upon a wooded table that caused him excruciating pain that radiated and pulsated throughout his throbbing knee. Gritting his teeth and hobbling a few steps he finally found the stone brick wall and followed it to the door.

Walker heard the raucous sharp squall that came from Rumor, and he could tell the big cat was in perilous straits with the something he was fighting. The woman's high-pitched screams recoiled throughout the corridors of Paranor and gave warning of something so portentous it made the hairs on Walker's neck stand up straight. He immediately pulled open the door of his chamber and came cautiously into the corridor. Staying within the edge of the wall, he moved soundlessly to the rotunda. He dodged quickly into it and then down the darken tunnel, following the loud crash and thuds that came from the room at the end of the tunnel. Walker tried to summon his insight into that room to find what horror awaited him. He heard Rumor's piercing yowl, filling with anger and warning. He knew he had to get into that room quickly. His knee throbbed and ached, but he ignored the dull pain that shot through it and summoned his magic, feeling its energy building within him. Running now, he dashed into the room as the big moor cat came sprinting out, fleeing for its life. Rumor did not stop when he saw Walker Boh and left him to fight this ominous beast by himself.

Walker's eyes were wild when he entered expecting to fight what manner of beast lay within, but instead of seeing a beast, he saw Llewelyn crying and screaming, standing upon his table and tossing whatever she could get her hands upon.

Seeing Walker standing dumbfounded, she leaped from the table and ran to him throwing her arms around him, crying hysterically. Walker pushed the magic that was burning inside of him and ready to be released, sending it back within him. The pain of the unused magic burnt inside of him causing his entire body to jolt with indescribable pain.

"Walker, save me!" Llewelyn cried with fear from the huge, black moor cat and clutching him and almost climbed on top of him to feel safe again. Her sobbing was filled with such fear and despair and she cried out to him again, "It's trying to kill me!"

Taking in the sight of the room, Walker doubted that Rumor would not have a chance at that even if he wished it.

This woman had shown great courage fighting off a pack of wolves and her willingness never to give up, running such a great distance to save her from certain death, while profusely bleeding and in immeasurable amount of pain. She had unselfishly healed his insignificant wound upon his hand, while her parts of her body and face suffered hundreds of deep lacerations. She unknowingly stood her ground to fight off one of the biggest moor cats that any man would have turned and ran at the first sight of it and she opened her heart to a stranger and allowed him to see her weakness and gentle heart.

Walker put his arm around the hysterical woman and was confused in how he would calm her. He could take on all manner of beast and evil creatures, but this was something that he was at a loss to know what to do about. He could understand her fear she had of wild animals especially after what she had been through with the attack of the wolves.

"Llewelyn, you are safe!" Walker tried to console her. "Rumor is my friend and will not harm you. I promise you that you are safe!"

Walker could feel her trembling in fear and tried to pat her back, but she kept on crying. Then he tried to pull back away from her so he could talk to her, but she held on to him firmly and would not stop crying.

Walker looked around for Wren, Par, Coll or Morgon, but they were not anywhere to be found. He felt like he needed help because nothing he tried was working with this woman.

So he just held on to her and hoped that she would calm down eventually.

"Sshhh!" he whispered and bent closely to her ear. He could smell the delicate fragrance of her hair and the soft texture of it as it touched the side of his face. "Do not cry, Llewelyn."

This had never happened to Walker before, ever holding a woman in his arm and feeling this close to anyone.

Slowly her crying eased and she pulled slightly away from him. He could see tears that streaked her face and her eyes sparkled with her thick tears.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked her and she nodded her reply back to him. Walker stepped away from Llewelyn and saw that his bottle of rare wine that he had opened for his guests still sat upon the tray on the smaller table. However, everything else was tossed all about the room in a shamble of debris. He poured two glasses of wine and handed one to her.

"Rumor belongs to me," he began and paused a moment making sure that she was listening to him, "or I should say, we belong to each other. I have known this cat for most of my entire life. I protect him and he does me."

She took a sip of the wine and he could see her hands that still trembled. "That moor cat is a fearsome beast, Walker. His eyes alone appear as if he could devour you whole as well as his long, sharp fangs. He looks to be such an evil menus."

"Rumor can be if he feels threatened and fighting against an enemy, but for me he is warm, kind and gentle and has been my constant companion that I rely upon."

Walker paused a moment and allowed a small amount of time to pass without saying anything. He strolled over to his chair. Picking up a broken candle stick from the seat of the chair and kicking the broken chunk of wax upon the floor in front of the chair away, he sat down and made himself comfortable. Setting the candlestick upon the table next to his chair, he gesturing towards another chair across from him, he invited Llewelyn to join him. He watched her while she made her way over to it and sat down.

They first enjoyed some light conversation and shared information about the whereabouts of his missing guests. He was a little surprised that Par and Coll joined Wren and Morgon in their mission to fight the federations. He only hoped that Par would hold to his oath and not use his magic unwisely.

Thinking about the magic, Walker wanted to find out more about Llewelyn. He looked at his hand that she had healed and commented. "I want to thank you for healing my hand. It is as if I had never injured it."

"I am glad that the magic had chosen you to heal," she added.

"Tell me about your magic, how old were you when you discovered you possessed it?" he asked.

"I was a very young child when both my parents were killed from one of the attacks upon Arborlon from the creatures that lived beyond the protection of the Loden. I was then taken to my uncle and his wife to live with them. As you can imagine, that time was very difficult for me. My uncle was stung by a poisonous quill from a creature that was created to protect us and he lye dieing upon his bed. When I went to him full of sorrow and heartbreak, I touched his hand and the magic came forth and healed him. I was then called healer of my people and was taken from my uncle to live and learn among other healers of Arborlon. At that time, I felt this magic a curse since I lost the only family that I loved to a magic that I had no choice of my own in wanting it. This magic is born to very few of us and is an honor among our people if you were chosen by the magic to possess it."

Llewelyn's eyes fell away from Walker's constant stare as he listened to her story. He could see the pain that it had caused her from the telling of it to him. For him, he could understand exactly what she was feeling and it brought back his feelings of his own magic that he possessed that he too did not want.

He touched her hand and held it as their eyes met yet again, "Sometimes our paths are not of our own making, but of destiny of greater powers that guides us to a greater means. I too did not choose who I have become, nor did I want it, but I can see now the greater means of it. Perhaps, Llewelyn you too will find through your magic the one true reason why you were given this to heal."

Tears began to fall from her eyes in slow trickles upon her soft cheek and thick scares. It ran its path past the tight curve of her jaw line and down the length of her delicate neck. "The magic did not heal the company that I traveled with, they are all dead upon the floor of the forest. This magic is a two edge sword it heals one, but allows the other to die and I have seen too much death."

Walker again gathered her into his arm and held her, while she cried for those who the magic did not choose to heal and perhaps died and he thought it could have been thousands within her lifespan.

XXX

A hooded priest of the local abbey directed the donkey that pulled the wagon of barrels of wine into the darkest part of the mine and tie her there. Walking with caution, the priest opened the loosen lid of an end barrel upon the wagon and helped a conceal person out. The priest stood guard to make sure that they were not being watched within the encampment of the federation. This plan had to perfectly executed, because everything was riding on their ability of not being seen or discovered. The very lives of all the free-born fighters were counting on this single act.


	5. Chapter 5 Dangling

Chapter 5

Dangling

The towering peeks of the Dragon's teeth loamed ahead of them in the starlit sky and full moon that gave them enough light to determine their position. The Roc descended slowly over the forest covered ground below them and just before the pass that would lead directly into the federation camp. The tops of the tall trees were just below them. Wren stood in the basket to get a look at the ground in the hopes of seeing any hidden enemies that her troupes and those of the free-born fighters would be engaging with in this battle. When suddenly she noticed the top of a tree just a few meters ahead of them fell to the ground and then another followed it. Tiger Ty saw it as well and maneuvered his Roc closer to that area.

"Look over there," Wren pointed and warned the rest of her friends within the basket. "Trees are being felled just ahead. Whether it is federation or free-born fighters below us, we must find out. This information could help us in planning this battle."

Par and Coll stood up within the basket along side Triss, but Morgon decided to stay seated in his safe position. They walked to the edge of the basket and look down upon the forest below them. The basket pitched a little with the shifting of weight and Morgon reached his arms and legs out clutching to the wall and the floor of the basket until it settled itself once again. Beads of sweat fell in droplets from his brow and he looked at his friends in disbelief at their fearlessness with being this high-up from the ground and floating upon the wind and attached to this giant Roc, no less. Had they no sense within their mind not to feel the peril in all of this? Morgon contemplated, casting unbelievable eyes upon his friends while he watched them.

Wren leaned over the wall of the basket when they came upon the clearing of the felled trees and saw a large group of men all working together with their axes at trimming and cleaning the tree that they cut down. However in the darkness and even with the full moon casting its light, Wren could not see the color of their clothing and whether it was federation or free-born fighters. With the Roc gliding with its wingspan stretched out upon the evening breeze, gave no sound to attract their attention from those below them. When they passed the clearing just a few yards ahead and Wren still focusing upon the ground just underneath of them trying to see if there were anymore groups of men, she was not aware of the federation men within the trees just ahead of them. She heard a sudden hiss sailing just inches from her head and then a thud of impact. Unexpectedly the entire basket lurched violently and the Roc pulled itself skyward. Wren grasped the strap of the basket in both her hands holding on with all her strength while the others fell from their feet and slid in behind her, all but Morgon who still was holding on with a death-grip to where he sat within the basket. With the force of the Roc in its abruptness to changing its position, turning and climbing within the sky, caused Wren to be flung out of the basket and left dangling holding on to the strap. Triss cried out first and then Par while they both fought their way to their feet and over to where Wren was hanging on for dear life.

Tiger Ty saw Wren being flung out of the basket and the weigh shift it had on the Roc who was in flight. It forced the large bird almost into a spiral as it descended downward towards the trees. Tiger Ty had his fist clenched into the strap and tried to counterweight the big Roc by thrusting himself in the opposite direction of the weight dispersion. The basket began to spin with the motion of the Roc who tried to right itself fighting the weight change and the air currents. From the screams both outside the basket and inside the basket caught the attention of those who labored cutting down the trees.

They witnessed the arrows that had begun to fly in the direction of the Roc and its passengers and then saw where the arrows were coming from. The men ran in that direction to engage themselves with the hidden outpost.

When the Roc disappeared into the trees and the basket straps began to snap while it crash into the trees and passengers were flung out to land in the trees branches.

It was Morgon who landed on the highest thick branch within a very tall oak tree and inches from Triss who was wedged upside down in the crook of the branch. Wren slid downward on a great pine tree breaking branches as she descended but slowed her fall as she bounced and slid all the way down until she rolled onto the ground. Coll held his brother Par by his belt that was tied around his waist and his other hand clutched upon one of the basket's straps while the basket was caught in the branches of an old thick birch tree. Par stretched himself out and grasped a branch with both his hands and yelled at his brother to let him go. When Coll did, Par went swinging into the thickness of the tree and lost to Coll's sight by the covering of the leaves. Coll saw the branch snap back when Par let go and he only hoped that his brother was safe. He swung himself over to that branch Par had grasped and letting go of the basket strap. He too went swinging downward into the thickness of the tree and saw Par hanging on to the truck of the big tree. Coll stretched out his hand and caught another thick branch and eased himself next to his brother.

The big Roc descending with Tiger Ty still strapped to his back and landed down upon the ground in and amongst the thick covering of trees and brushes. He could hear Morgon and Triss yelling high above him and nudged his Roc to fly. Instantly the Roc took off in a bound of flapping wings trying to clear the trees to rise above them. Tiger Ty saw Morgon and edged his Roc over to him. The massive claws of the Roc plucked Morgon up by both his arms and carried him skyward circling the trees and flew over to the clearing to set him down. Morgan was white-faced when the Roc released him upon the ground and plunged back into the sky to collect Triss who had righted himself in the tree branches waiting for his turn with the Roc. When the Roc set Triss upon the ground next to Morgon, Triss could see Morgon's sick complexion and trembling limbs.  
"Morgon are you all right?" Triss asked. "Are you injured anywhere?" Triss bent down to quickly examine him to make sure there were no obvious sighs of serious injury.

Morgon could only shake his head but could not speak still feeling weak and light headed.

Outside of some insignificant scratches and bruises, Morgon appeared unharmed.

Taking a few steps, Triss could feel his own injuries from his knee to his hip and knew also the bruises that he would find, but still he had no broke bones. Triss quickly scanned the trees searching for any signs of Wren, Par and Coll. He listened for the faint sounds of them calling out for help, but there was none. Walking back to Morgon, Triss asked him, "Did you see what happened to Wren?"

"I only caught a glimpse of her when she fell into the pine tree next to ours. I did not see what happened after that," offer Morgon trying to collect his wits.

Triss looked skyward and watch the Roc circling high above him and it appeared that Tiger Ty had spotted someone as he maneuvered his bird closer to a giant tree.

He only had time to watch for a moment before the brushes parted and groups of men wearing dark colored clothing and all supporting bows and arrows, closing in upon them.

The large Roc had plucked Coll from the birch tree and was landing in the middle of the circle of men. Coll's eyes widen when the Roc dropped him within the center of these men. He immediately recognized the dress of the Rovers as one of them approached Morgan and Triss.

"You both have done us a great service in locating and capturing the federation outpost just a few leagues from where we were. We would have walked into a trap if it was not for your Roc drawing their weapons upon you. Are any of you hurt?" asked Raymere.

Coll looked at the Rover with the black scarf tied upon his head and the long black tress of his hair that fell to his shoulders. He supported a thick mustache and thick wiry eyebrows. He had bright, blue eyes and firm thin lips that matched his equally determine chin. He was a tall muscular man and seemed to be the leader of this rag tag group standing behind him. Coll looked over to Morgan and then Triss, but the three of them only nodded. "Outside of some scratches and bruises, I think we are all okay," added Triss.

"That was some fall you all have taken," commented Raymere. "We watched you when the basket you were riding in crashed into the trees."

The giant Roc was overhead and had Par in it talons. Descending into the group of men, the Roc released Par and he tumbled out upon the ground in front of them. The Roc again bounded into the night sky.

"Did you see what happened to the woman that was with us?" asked Triss who was now overly worried about Wren.

"I already have some of my men searching for her," said Raymere. "It won't be long until they find her."

Triss saw Tiger Ty circling overhead searching the tree branches for any sign of Wren. Triss did not want to stand there and wait so he too went in search for her, with Par, Coll and Morgon following him.

Nearing the position of where they saw the woman falling from the large pine tree and seeing a scattered pile of broken branches, the Rover and his men began searching the area and sifting through the pile of debris. His long black tunic with a black scarf tied about his waist and a sheath and sword belted over that, bent down at the base of a row of bushes and examined some damaged that had occurred. There stretched out and pressed against the root base of the thick bushes was Wren. She lay unconscious with obvious wounds that were bleeding. Her clothing was tattered and ripped and her hair rumbled and pine needles were embedded throughout her clothing and hair. But no matter how her appearance looked, Rhys knew her immediately and put his arm gently around her and drew her from the bushes.

Holding her in his arms, he could see she had a broken arm and a large bruise on the side of her head. Her arms and legs were badly scratched. He motioned to his men to bring the others and tell them that he had found her.

"Wren," Rhys whispered softly to her and stroked her hair, trying to awaken her. He looked at her beautiful face and the tight curve of her determined chin. He had not seen her for many years and he delighted in what a beautiful women she had become. They were teenagers when they had known each other, when Wren and Garth came upon their camp and stayed with them for a while. He remembered this spirited woman, by the leaves in her hair and her rumbled look that was usual for her appearance when she had lived with Garth. She had bested him in one of their games, a trick well learned by her teacher and a lesson that Rhys stilled used today when he was tracking something he hunted. Seeing her again was something that he had wanted and wished for, but not like this, not with her being in such dyer straights. He could set her broken arm, and treat the many bleeding scratches upon her limbs, but this large bruise to the side of her head, there was nothing that anyone could do for that. This caused Rhys his greatest concern.

Rhys could hear the commotion from a group of men coming towards them, and he shouted to them, "over here!"

It was Triss who barreled into this small clearing and saw Rhys holding Wren in his arms and he races over to them with Par, Coll and Morgon following him.

Triss skidded to a halt as he fell to his knees and saw the peril of Wren's condition. "Oh, my lady!" Triss became to cry with tears forming in his eyes. Par, Coll and Morgon circled around them and knelt by her side.

"We have medicines to treat her wounds, but for that bruise upon her head, there is little anyone can do for that, especially out here in the wild," spoke Rhys.

"Well, there is one thing that we can do," interjected Par as he remembered the healing of Walker Boh's hand. "Send Tiger Ty back to Paranor and get Llewelyn. She will heal her!"

Triss immediately raced to the center of this small clearing and took out a wooden whistle and blew a few notes from it. Within a few moments the big Roc and his rider descended within the clearing. Tiger Ty immediately saw Wren and the dyer condition of her injuries. He began to pull the strap from his Roc to release him so he could go to her, but Triss stopped him. "There is no time for that Tiger Ty, she is badly injured and she needs you to go to Paranor and get Llewelyn. She is a healer of Arborlon and has great skills. Bring her here to our lady."

Tiger Ty looked at Triss and nodded and then over to Wren. He urged his Roc to take flight and it soared into the night sky and was soon out of their sight.

Triss could see the small group of men working in gathering fallen branches and leaves to make a comfort bed for Wren and laid covering over it. Rhys gathered her into his strong arms and gently brought her over to this bed and placed her there. He called his Rover to bring blankets and set up a small camp to await this healer.

XXX

It was well into the early morning hours when Walker Boh poured more wine into Llewelyn glass and his and they began to laugh with the warm glowing of the fire from the hearth.

Walker told her incredible stories of his life, his magic and those of whom he had known. He had found her to be a good listener and something else that he did not expect. He actually enjoyed sharing these stories about his life. Something that Walker Boh had never done in the past with anyone. He had always been a loner and kept his private thoughts to himself. But somehow opening these stories to her felt comfortable and he delighted in the sparkles of her eyes and the sound of her laughter that echoed throughout his keep. He felt lightheaded from the early morning hour, the wine and their laughter.

Sitting here with Llewelyn made Walker realize how much they had in common, their stories sometimes made each other laugh, sometimes made them reflect on serious issues and examine the difficulties that they had faced. Their stories that they shared were close in nature to the other, but with one important difference. Where Walker was left bitter and mistrusting, Llewelyn was just the opposite. The difficulties in her life opened herself more so to others, made her care all the more for them and sot the circles of friendship and family, where Walker pushed them away. He internalized his own feelings and Llewelyn openly embraced them. Walker had never met a more opened person with such a forgiving and caring heart. What they shared together made Walker realize what a healing effect this had to his broken spirit and gave him strength within himself to trust others. He looked at Llewelyn and knew he had made a life long friend.

Rumor moved silently within the room where Walker and Llewelyn sat laughing and talking to each other. Neither of them noticed the large moor cat when he approached Walker's chair in which his master sat.

'_Has this woman dulled your senses, Walker_?' Rumor cast his thought to his master's mind. '_Have you not senses the approach of the winged rider_?'

Walker's laugh froze in mid-air while he turned his attention to his animal companion. '_I have sensed it, Rumor. I will be along shortly.'_

Walker turn back to Llewelyn who sat froze within the confines of her chair staring at the moor cat.

'_If she throws one more thing at me, Walker, than I insist that she leaves Paranor!_' Rumor insisted.

Walker stood and turned to face Rumor, speaking openly with him. "Come, Rumor, you must forgive her. She just did not understand that you are my protector and would not harm her. Surely you can understand what she had been through."

Rumor stalked away from his master and the woman showing them little interest and care.

"Rumor, please let me apologize. I did not understand you and Walker were friends. I really want you to be my friend," Llewelyn pleaded to Walker's moor cat.

The moor cat did not turn around and just stood there with his chin point upward and sulking.

"Rumor!" snapped Walker in a firm voice to gain his cat's attention. "She did ask nicely."

_'All right!'_ snapped Rumor back to Walker. The moor cat swaggered over to Llewelyn and stood before her.

Rumor watched the woman carefully while she leaned over and petted his brow and stroked and scratched behind his ear.

The moor cat lazily stuck his tongue out panting and enjoying the attention that Llewelyn gave to him and he almost felt like purring from the hypnotic state he was feeling from the gentle scratching she gave to him.

_'Oh, she is lovely, isn't she!'_ interjected Rumor to his master's thoughts.

Walker sensed the wing rider's decent upon the roof of Paranor and the urgency the rider felt and he turned rushing out to meet him.

Tiger Ty did not take the time to release his strap and just sat there upon his Roc waiting for the druid. While the minutes ticked by, Tiger Ty almost panicked thinking he would not come out of his keep to greet him.

"Druid!" shouted Tiger Ty at the top of his voice.

The scrapping of iron upon the inner door drew the attention of Tiger Ty while he waited for it to open. Seeing the druid, Tiger Ty could not wait any longer and shouted out to him.

"Our Queen is badly injured and needs our healer to come at once," pleaded Tiger Ty most urgently.

Walker quickly scanned Tiger Ty mind to see the condition of Wren from his thoughts. Then as if a lighting bolt suddenly struck him, Walker sensed it. The evil presence entered into the world of the four lands and the evil magic took its first victim. Walker now knew that his vision of Llewelyn would come to pass and it rendered his heart. It was his intent to keep Llewelyn as far away from the Dragon's Teeth as possible, but now that would be impossible. Wren needed Llewelyn or she would surely die. Knowing the urgency at hand, Walker raced back into his keep to find Llewelyn.

Sprinting the long staircases, the equally long tunnels and rotunda, Walker Boh was out of breath when he reached Llewelyn. Quickly he motioned to her, pleading. "It is Wren! She is badly hurt and needs you, Llewelyn."

Walker had barely enough time to recover, knowing he needed something else as equally important as Llewelyn and her healing powers. Grasping her arm while she tried to pass him, he quickly told her, "I will join you upon the roof in just a few moments. I am going with you to the Dragon's Teeth. Do not leave without me!"

XXX

Damson Rhee pulled back her priest hood that she had taken from the local abbey and came quickly around the wagon to speak with the mole.

"Are you ready, Mole?" she asked very concern about her friend and his wellbeing.

"Yes, yes, my lovely Damson, the mole is just fine," he spoke but seemed distant in thought and action looking over at the wall of the darkened mine and structure. The mole barely dangled on a thread of sanity and it was Damson who kept that thread strong for him.

"I am going with you, mole, to keep you safe. I promise I will not let anyone harm you," she offered trying to comfort him as best as she could.

"You will guide me through this mine and help me find the dwarves?"

"Yes, find the dwarves and release them, yes, the mole will do this for my lovely Damson."

"Then come, Mole, show me the way through this darkness. I trust only your eyes to lead me."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A Reckoning Force

Shadows flickered upon the surface of the rock formations at the base of the Dragon's Teeth from the many campfires within the encampment of the federation. Soldiers gathered in large circles around each roaring fire while cups were being poured full from the tapped large wine barrels that were brought in from the local Abbey. From the ranking officers to the foot soldiers, the regiments of the federation could not get their fill of the wine and the effects that the wine would bring them. Tonight they felt like celebrating after hitting yet another large pocket of smaller diamonds. With each strike that they hit, only increased the wealth of the federation. This would keep the federation armies well supplied and strong as they built up the numbers of soldiers within their forces and kept them fighting to regain some of the land they lost after The Shadowen War.

From the center campfire, a parson that appeared to be from the local Abbey sat with the officers eyeing them carefully within his brown, woolen cowl. His strong and handsome features were carefully concealed, and he knew the officers were more concerned about the wine that he brought verses the repentance of their souls in which his garb had indicated. Fingering the length of beads from about his waist, he was thankful that the wine that he brought appeased them, for if they wanted absolution he would be hard pressed in knowing how to conduct himself accordingly.

His eyes shifted from around the encampment and saw his fifteen hooded fellow parsons stationed around different areas of campfires with their wagonloads of barrels of wine. Some of his men were tapping new barrels, while the soldiers lined up with empty cups to be filled. Others of his men had jars full of wine and making their way through the throngs of men refilling their tin cups and offering blessings as they went along.

From the center of the camp in which he sat, he was within clear view of their cook's wagon and could see that it was well stocked. In fact everything in the camp was well stocked and they barely lacked for anything. Yes, the federation army was free with their money and they were building up for what looked logically to him as an army ready to move having the strength that they needed to take over all that they had once lost. His arrival could not have waited a moment later. The wealth of the Federation Army was soon to be lightened. He dry washed his hands thinking about that.

With the heavy aroma coming from the huge thick kettles that hung over a pitch was filled with hot bubbling stew to feed the many soldiers. The cooks manned their pots and baked their breads and kept their coffee pots full. Intermediately soldiers held their empty plates ready to be filled as the cook scooped and slopped the stew and then added a thick slice of bread on top. Instead of filling their cups with coffee, the men were delighted to have another choice rather than the thick, burnt and bitter fluid that was usually served. Spirits in the camp was uproarious as soldiers sang, gambled and told each other wickedly funny stories that would cause maidens to faint.

From behind him, in makeshift corrals from circled wagons, crates and other oddities, the horses roamed neck to neck being pressed within this confinement. Other horses were saddled and bridled and tied to a long rope in readiness to the soldiers that may have need of them at a moments notice. Weaponry of swords, bows and quivers and all different sorts filled wagons for the ten thousand men within the Federation camp. Forges blazed hot and ready as blacksmiths banged upon the anvils shoeing their horses and repairing their swords.

Hundreds of rows of small white tents pitched in the darkness on the furthest side of the camp that seemed endless to the eyes that looked upon them.

The smell of smoke, horses and sweat of men reeked within the cup-hold of the valley within the Dragon's Teeth.

The cowl that encased the parson's head slowly turned to the entrance of the mine and watched momentarily to the guards that stood watch. Slowly, Padishar Creel kept count of the hours he knew it would take before his well made plan would begin. From the wagon that he convinced the General of the Federation was his personal gift from the Abbey. Padishar Creel requested that they keep that hidden from the other officers and regular soldiers and had it placed under guard in the darken cavern of the mine. He only hoped his daughter in company with the mole could free the dwarves bound and chained within the deep caverns of the mine and get them to that wagon that was filled with swords and bows rather than the wine he had them believe was in them.

He thought what fools these federation soldiers be… when their enemy could walk in unchecked bearing gifts of drink to dull their minds while their offensives were being built around them. Unaware.

Padishar Creel smiled and shook his head in unbelievable thinking, knowing the Rock Tolls where out there in the darkness slowly moving in gathering their numbers around this encampment. _Very soon the glory of battle would be upon them and may victory be theirs!_

Xxx

Lifting his nose and taking in the scent of the mine, the mole toddled on the tips of his toes moving quickly and quietly through the jagged chasm that the ancestral dwarves have craved out in the deep depths of solid rock and stone. While Damson stayed heel to toe directly behind the mole and rested her hand gently upon his shoulder in the solid pitch darkness of the cavern. Trust was all she had in her peculiar guide that she followed. She could feel his easy breaths of air with the raise and fall of his chest and she could tell that the mole felt at home in the total blackness in this stone and rock walled space. She tried to keep in time with his ease of breath taking her air in her lungs pacing it with his. Her heart raced and pounded within her chest. Beads of sweat dripped down her face and began to soak her silk undergarments. She could feel her limps tremble that seemed to weaken her muscles, but still willing them forward.

'_Straighten your backbone_!' she chided herself in her mind. She would not allow her fears to dissolve her determination. The success of her mission was everything to the victory for the Free-born Fighters and to her father. If she failed all hope would be lost.

The Mole maneuvered her around a huge chunk of rock and deep fractures on the floor of the mine as if he walked in full day light. The filth and flounder reeked heavily in the poorly vented air space in which they traveled. Damson gulped in between her breaths and wiped the sweat from her brow. Then from time to time, the Mole would hum and titter feeling so at home in this solid blackness. It eased the desperate feelings racing within her. She reluctantly patted the Mole upon his back to remind him that he needed to be quiet so they would not be discovered by hidden guards of the Federation. Onward and deeper into the blacken mine they traveled while time ticked away. The Mole would stop occasionally to sniff the air and make a definite right turn and entered into another section of the mine. She could feel the sharp decline of the rock floor beneath her feet traveling still deeper and she clutched her fingers grasp upon the shoulder of the Mole. He stopped and patted her hand and lightly whispered to her. "The children are sleeping, lovely Damson. We must walk lightly as not to awaken them. Come, my lovely child. The Mole will take you to them." He tittered again with sharp raise and fall of his chest.

The smell of the sweat of men and other bodily fluids assaulted her senses and she immediately covered her nose with her hand. The Mole suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and took Damson's hand away from his shoulder. "They're all here, nestled upon the floor in their blankets," commented the Mole while he gazed upon them and sighed. Damson reached her arms around the mole to hug him.

"Oh, Mole! Thank you; Thank you so much for helping me find them."

"You're welcome, lovely Damson." Even though she could not see his face, she could almost feel his wide smile upon his thick lips.

She sunk to her knees and reached out with her arms to feel for the sleeping dwarves upon the floor. When her hand hit the solid, iron chain that was bolted to the dwarf's ankles, it rattled and immediately brought that dwarf awake.

"Whose there!" he roared which brought the others fully awake. There was a clatter of chains that broke the silence of the cavern while the dwarves lit their candles one by one until the light exploded within the blackness.

The Mole squealed and hissed in terror shielding his eyes and backing out of the cavern and back into the darkness.

Damson raced to her feet and charged after the Mole to halt him. Calming her voice to gentle tones, she quietly spoke lovingly to him. "There, there, Mole. Soothe yourself. No one here will harm you. The light is needed to help us see. Stay here in the darkness and do not move from this spot until I come back for you."

She took off her parson's robe and directed the Mole to lye down and covered him with it. Adjusting the sword and long knife that she wore at her waist, she turned and knelt down to her friend. Smoothing back his rough course hair with her hand, Damson softly spoke to him with kindness. "Sleep, dear Mole, until I return."

"Lovely, Damson. The Mole is so tired of the light and noise of men. They rattle the thoughts of my head to near shattering," he quailed.

"I know, dear Mole. But soon all this will be over with and you will have the peace and darkness that you need."

Standing she followed the soft glow of light back into the cavern that housed the dwarves. She saw that they had gathered themselves together and stood gaping at this strange woman before them.

"Dwarves of Tyrsis!" she shouted out to them taking a strong stance and allowing her eyes to roam freely taking in each ones appearance. The dwarves were tattered and filthy and half starved. Thick embedded dirty and dried mug clung on their clothing, faces and limbs. Many that she viewed where wrapped in bandages from shoulder to fingers and a few had wooden crafted crutches they leaned upon needing supports to stand. There appeared to be only a few hundred dwarves and not near the numbers she had hoped to find in this mine. Each one had shown the suffering that they had endured from the federation that held them. At first glance she wondered how these dwarves would have the strength to lead the first assault against their captors. "Today, I bring you freedom from your chains. You must raise and join with us, the Free-born Fighters, and put an end to the Federation that enslaves you!"

Her voice trailed off seeing no movement from the dwarves who stood frozen and gaping. Only the candle light flickered. Dead silence.

The front row of dwarves craned their necks to peer behind her as if they expected the Freed-born Fighters to charge into their cavern to rescue them. But standing before them was only the girl, backbone straight and determined.

"Well! What are you waiting for?" she snarled at them showing her teeth. "Follow me and I will lead you to your freedom."

A rag-tagged dwarf filthy and dulled-eyed pushed his way through the front row of his fellow dwarves and walked slowly up to the girl. He seemed fit enough from what the others had appeared bearing thick shoulders and strong arms. He only stood up to her shoulders, but for the fierceness of his features and long, coarse, gray beard. He was a force that would cause men to fear. The chain that was clenched around his ankles dragged on the rough stone flooring, clanging and rattling while he walked. Stopping before her, the bulky dwarf began to chuckle softly that became louder as he eyed her up and down.

"You're a fair wisp of girl to look upon," he hummed the words with a smirk upon his lips and scratched his beard thinking what this girl was about. "The Free-born Fighters you say?" He looked back at his fellow dwarves snickering and then returned his attention back to the lass. "If'n the Free-born Fighters send a sprig of girl to open our door, as it were, their leader ain't worth spit in fighting the federation soldiers. He's diving into a pond without checkin' its depths. They'll be wiped out before they have a heel within the camp. I'm not buying a penny's worth it, girly-girl."

Damson red hair seemed ruddiness as did her face and her temper. Within a single swift movement, her hand was on the hilt of her sword while at the same time she swung her leg around and caught the unexpected dwarf behind his knees. Then suddenly his knees buckled and he found himself upon his back and the lass upon his chest and a long knife pressed upon his neck. She held her sword in the other hand that kept the other dwarves from venturing any closer to her. The dwarves stood like rows of gaping fish and not one moved a muscle nor twitched. Her adept skill that she displayed with the sword and long knife and the ease in which she brought down Griffin kept them in their place.

She leaned down close to the dwarf's shocked face and snarled between her gritted teeth. "If I told you I had a wagon filled full of cross bows, long bows and stout swords and ten's of thousands Free-born Fighters that is at this very moment surrounding the federation camp, will you follow me and fight your way out of this mine and to your freedom?"

The dwarf she sat upon could only give a quick nod and did his best not to move a muscle from the pressure of the knife point upon his neck. "Good then!" Damson stated and placed her sword on the ground while keeping her knife point pressed at the throat of the dwarf. Then without taking her eyes from the dwarf nor giving a blink of her eyelids, she reaching into her waist pocket and produced iron keys and dangled them out in front of the dwarf's face. Her father had given them to her before she boarded her wagon with the Mole secured inside one of the barrels. He had stolen a copy of them in the federation stronghold in Tyrsis just incase he may have need of them for himself if he were captured.

"The name is Griffin, my fine lass," and he reached his hand up to her wrist and gently guided the long knife away from his throat. Damson stood up and sheaved she long knife and tossed the keys at Griffin. She stood watching him unlock his chains while she collected her sword. She could feel his sense of freedom and renewed strength that took the dullness from his eyes as he stood facing her. He moved about testing his legs without the burden and the weight of the iron chains and he marvel at the ease of his own movement.

Damson turned to him, "There must be more dwarves in these mines then what I see here."

"There are, lass. At least forty more caverns like this one the further you go down. But there be guards outpost within the mine and getting to them will be the trick," Griffin surmised. "Let's see to your wagon first before we go any further."

With stealth, Damson led the way to her wagon while the dwarves gathered up their torches and lit them. The Mole coward and covered his face with the parson's robe as the dwarves with their flaming torches passed him. Damson only gave him a short look knowing the Mole would be all right if left in the darkness and quiet. She turned and followed the dwarves to the entrance of the mine and her wagon.

Damson lowered her torch and had the dwarves do likewise while they all crouched down balancing upon their heels of their feet. She motioned for four of the dwarves to hand their torches to others to hold and directed them to follow behind her.

Carefully she maneuvered them from around the safety of a craved out stone wall and then around to the back of the wagon and slowly began to remove hidden boards from the side panels of the wagon. The false bottom gate gave way and the four dwarves stood back in awe seeing piles of stout swords pressed into the confined space. Their eyes lit to sparkles and could now feel their freedom with each sword they piled into their arms.

Next, Damson climbed into the wagon and pried the lid off one of the largest barrels on her wagon. It revealed cross bows, bows and quivers that were filled full of arrows. Eyeing the cross bow that Damson placed in their arms, they returned their grateful smiles to her and knew with this type of armory in the hands of the dwarves, they would be a force to recon with.

The dwarves headed back towards where their friends awaited for them, while two more dwarves took their place to get another armful. The two dwarves with Damson held their arms open to receive the cross bows she handed down to them and they joined their friends. With precision, a steady flow of arms being moved from one dwarf to the next as they stood in a line until all the swords and bows were unloaded and taken further down into the mine.

Damson stood in the darkness just behind the entrance and listened to the commotion of rivalry and high spirits in the camp of soldiers. She knew what she was doing in the mine would be undetected to this drunken lot of men. That is if they hadn't run out of wine in the camp and go looking for more in the empty barrels that she just unloaded. With any luck everything should go a smoothly as her father had planned.

With the keys to the chains in his pocket, a sword in one hand and the other a torch, Griffin led the dwarves back into the mine to free the thousands of fellow miners and drive the Federation forces out of their mine once and for all. They will reclaim it in the name of the Dwarves of Tyrsis.

xxx

An ominous, piercing, bright-light that was upon Cullinan and within him and his presence was that of pure evil. The large diamond that he held in his bloodied hands pulsated drinking in his soul and his essences. Cullinan's eyes radiated a white light and he knew his master's desire. A woman.

Cullinan brought forth the malevolence of this precious diamond into the world and now she wished to become one within it. Being of Flesh and blood and spirit.

He caressed the purest diamond that he had ever beheld within his hands and gently placed it back into the Kimberlite. "Yes, my dearest. I will do whatever you ask of me."

Turning, Cullinan stepped over the two bloodied bodies of his friends that had guarded this tomb.

xxx

In the solid darkness and resting his head against the cool stone, the mole's nose suddenly twitched and he sat up in the darkness trying to figure out where this new sensation was coming from. It was something that he had never felt before that stirred deep within him as if something was calling to him and he knew he needed to go there. He stopped and sniffed the air for his lovely Damson, but her scent was not close enough for him to smell. She could be busy for hours with those nasty and horrible dwarves with their lights and their loud noises. His ears and nose twitched again as he turned back to the intriguing scent and sensation that stirred in his heart. Toddling to his feet and brushing off the parson's robe, he allowed it to fall to the stone surface. The mole tip-toed from his spot where the lovely Damson told him to wait and traveled deeper into the mine's core humming and tittering to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The Safety of the Camp

The men sat around within the warm glow of the campfire with the pitch darkness that encircled them. Each one man sat in silence and lost in thought. Thoughts of Wren. Morgan's eyes shifted from Par to his brother Coll and then over to Triss who appeared wrought with fear and sorrow. His worry for Wren was clearly readable upon his face. His brow was furrowed and his eyes dull and darkened. Raymere, Rhys's distant cousin, had poured coffee into tin cups and passed them around to the group of men who sat in front of the campfire. He spoke quietly to his small group of Rovers giving them instructions to guarding the federation men that they had recently captured just after the crash that had brought Wren to her now fate.

A long, thick nosed man with the same type of black scarf tied about his neck and draped down upon his chest poured his coffee out upon the ground and gestured for his four friends to follow him. The same group of men vanished into the darkness to set-out what Raymere had ordered of them.

Raymere returned to Par, Coll and Morgan and explained to them the plans that Padishar Creel had order of his group of Rovers. At daybreak his men were to have their catapults ready and waiting. Then upon the first light of dawn, they were to open fire on the federation camp until mid-morning. The Rovers had felled trees in the forest and have being building the catapults all through the night. Morgan sat and listened to the plans that he spoke about, but wondered how and what he and the rest of his group would be involved in all of this. _With Wren so badly injured how could they leave her behind?_

Morgan craned his neck to peer at Rhys who was a few feet behind him and tending to Wren who was still unconscious upon her bed of leaves and blankets. Rhys was cooling her arm that had become swollen and blacked with deep bruises and broke bone. He had set her arm and placed splints to secure it. But the swelling around the wrappings had almost doubled in size. Then as badly as her arm looked, the bruise upon the side of her head was much worse and much more deadly. Without immediate remedy, he knew she would not last long. Rhys looked to the sky and hoped the Roc and rider would soon appear. The healer that the rider would bring would have to have skills unheard of, if she was to cure Wren. All Rhys had was hope and he clung to that and waited.

Morgan's head snapped back when he caught Par rising to his feet from the corner of his eye and watched Par slowly lumbered over to Rhys and then gazed sorrowfully at Wren. He too knew her condition was so very fragile.

"I know there is nothing more we can do for Wren, may the elves of Arborlon's blessings be upon her," Par spoke lowering himself to balance upon his heels and looked back upon Wren full of pity. He too worried about her and what Raymere had told them about the morning attack on the federation. Par looked over at Rhys and watched him while he attended Wren and he wanted to find out more of their plans.

"Raymere had spoken of Padishar Creel who is leading his men under the attire of the Abbey to penetrate Federation forces."

Rhys wrung out another cloth that was soaked in the cold water to add as another compress for Wren's arm.

"Padishar Creel!" Rhys spat. "That's if he can keep his focus on the fighting verses that woman and his ridiculous flaming farming duties!"

A smirk lifted the corners of Par's lips just thinking about and knowing Padishar as he did. "A woman you say?"

Both Rhys and Par stood and walked a few paces away from where Wren was sleeping and faced each other. "That has to be some kind of woman to capture that old rouges attention."

Rhys smiled despite himself when her vision came into his mind. "That she be, Par. He looks all the more the fool just being with her. She could be closer to my age than his. With that flaming red hair of hers and her temper could possible match that of Creels."

Par's face went white and in shock. That was no pretentious woman he was speaking about. It was Damson! It had to be. How many red haired women could possibly be associated with Parshiar Creel? Damson should have been home with his parents waiting for his return. But knowing Damson, Par understood her determined ways and her worries about her father. She would go after him if she felt he was in direr straights. Schooling his face, Par intended to find out all Rhys knew of this woman and what Padishar was doing in the camp of the Federation.

Par clutched Rhys's arm tightly and spoke with clear musical tones sending the magic of the wish song to find out all that he needed to know. "Tell me everything that you know about Padishar's plan to penetrate the federation camp. I must know, Rhys. I must know everything."

Rhys could have sworn that Par had sung those words to him, rather than spoken them. It surprised him how easily he had trusted Par to tell him everything that he had known of Padishar's plan. That is only what Padishar wanted Rhys to know which was hardly a scratch of information. However, what Rhys saw and what he overheard, the purchase of flocks of sheep, the wagons of wine barrels, the joining of the Rock Trolls and the description of the red headed woman. Par knew Padishar Creel and his underhanded ways. He knew how he thought and he knew Damson to every detail and loved her and married her and that is what convinced him that Damson was with Padishar. Her father had put her in harms way. Oath or no oath, Par was not going to allow Damson to be hurt. He would die first before he would let that happen to her. His wife was the very breath that he breathed and she came first before anything else. No Druid, uncle or oath was going to stop him.

When he had finished, Rhys had an overwhelming exhaustion take hold of him and he immediately went to his blanket and curled up by the fire and fell deeply to sleep.

Par eased himself into the darkness and shelter of the trees and looked only once towards his brother and than Morgan. He could not allow them to break their oaths with Walker. This was his affair; this was his wife and his life. Coll and Morgan could not be brought into this. At least they would be safe with the others. Then within moments his shadow all but disappeared into the darkness.

From overhead the sound of wings flapping as the large Roc descended down upon the ground in the darkness and shadows of the tree.

The group of men hearing this and knowing what they had awaited for was finally here. They stood peering out into the darkness and waited.

Morgan saw the first glimpse of the Druid Walker Boh who shouldered a large bag just walking into the light of their camp. He was surprised that he had come. Llewellyn walked a few paces behind the Druid with Tiger Tye following her heel to toe.

Morgan grasped Coll's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly while he watched the three moving closer to where Wren lye unconscious. Coll nodded, but before they could take a step, Tyrss was three steps ahead of them. Coll peered around the camp to spot his brother Par, but he seemed no where in sight. He turned his head from side to side trying to peer into the darkness of the trees. He knew Par liked to walk about especially when he was nervous or had a lot on his mind. Perhaps he had taken a stroll or sat out there in the darkness thinking. He thought he would be back soon especially with all the commotion going on in the camp with the arrival of Walker Boh and Llewellyn.

Raymere leaned down to his cousin and shook his shoulders soundly to awaken him. Being astute, he could not imagine Rhys being this worn and need of sleep when he had known his cousin's agility to be far above most others. Something was just not right about this especially Rhys's consternation for Wren had overwhelmed him. "Rhys, the healer has arrived."

Rhys rose from his blanket and tried to clear the languor that dulled his mind. He stumbled awkwardly just behind his cousin and tried to keep up.

Before Llewellyn could get close enough to see Wren's face, she could feel her magic healing power building up within her. She also sensed that Wren was close to death. With her touch and the joining of souls with Wren would bring her to that very door. Fear rose deep in her with each step she took.

Walker felt that fear in her and he stopped and turned to Llewellyn. Looking deeply into her eyes, he did not have to speak for he knew her heart was stronger than her fear. He turned aside and Llewellyn looked down upon Wren's beautiful face and knelt beside her. What fear that was once there, now was completely gone. Llewellyn's love for her queen outweighed any room for fear, even in the face of her own death, if need be. Stretching out her arms towards Wren, she lightly touched each side of her face with her hands and immediately Llewellyn was draw inward and felt the rush of the healing power explode and intertwine around them. Joined together, Llewellyn felt Wren's pain so deep that no words could express it and a weakness so atrocious that it almost made her want to relinquish herself to it. But for the power of healing that she possessed, Llewellyn broke those bonds and pulled Wren from the brink of death's doors. What strength of will that she had, was used and spent. She felt herself sinking deep into an endless pit of darkness.

Suddenly she felt two strong arms around her. One arm was warm, gentle and caring, while the other was cold as stone and unyielding. She knew within the darkness of her mind that Walker Boh was with her. He gently stroked the curve of her face and heard his voice whisper to her. "Llewellyn, you must awaken. We must leave this place now."

Feeling his presence with her, he must have linked himself to her when she first touched Wren and followed her here to make sure she came back out alive. She forced her eyes to open and saw the man and not the Druid. Walker was as he once had been, completely whole.

His eyes were warm and caring and his lip soft, gentle and moist. He lifted her into his arms and held her while she kissed him until she felt herself being pulled back into the world that they belonged.

"What's he doing?" asked Coll.

"I don't know for sure," commented Morgan. "Could be a Druid's spell of some sort, I'm thinking."

Coll walked over and stood before Walker Boh and leaned down close to look into his eyes that were staring straight ahead and unblinking. He appeared frozen in place and did not twitch a finger since Llewellyn collapsed soon after touching Wren. Lying next to each other, both women seemed to be asleep.

The moment Coll peered into the Druid's eyes, Walker suddenly blinked and moved. Coll fell backwards from off his feet with a loud yelp and he shouted out, "Blood and ashes, Walker, you took years off my life!"

Walker all but knocked Coll back down again while he tried to stand trying to get around him and over to Llewellyn. He ignored Coll's curses and immediately grasped Llewellyn with his only one hand. He gently shook her by her shoulder and called out to her. "Llewellyn."

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she looked into the Druid's intense gaze of his eyes. Only they both knew what had transpired between them. Walker's eyes immediately gentled looking at Llewellyn and he smiled knowing she was going to be all right. He saw the exhaustion upon her face and knew she needed to sleep to fully recover from saving Wren's life. He strokes her face and whispered to her. "You have saved her and I have brought you back. Sleep Llewellyn…. sleep."

Triss grasped Wren's hand and held it close to him and looking longingly onto her delicate features of her face. He immediately noticed the deep, black bruise on the side of her head was fading and then disappeared as did her bruising and swelling on her arm that was tightly splinted and wrapped.

Her eyes also fluttered open and before Triss could get a word out, Rhys was right there next to him. "Wren, please do not move just yet. You have been gravely injured in that fall. Your healer is here and it seems her magic has done its deed."

Rhys could not see a mark on her. Her face so lovely and those unforgettable eyes sparkled at the sight of him.

"Rhys?" Wren whispered and tried to sit up, but Rhys gently held her down by her shoulders until he was sure that she was completely healed.

"Yes, it is I," he smiled showing a sparkling, mischievous grin.

Triss rolled back on his heels while his face had a hint of harshness around his mouth and a pain of jealousy within his eyes. Wren appeared delighted to see Rhys, and she all but ignored Triss, who had worried over her endlessly.

"They must sleep to regain some of their strength," insisted Walker Boh firmly to Rhys. Rhys nodded his agreement to the Druid regretfully and pulled the blanket up around Wren's shoulders and tucked her in gently. Walker did the same with Llewellyn and gave Wren a smile before he stood and motioned Rhys and Triss to follow him.

Tiger Tye came around and patted Triss on his back and gave him a confident smile.

"I've never seen nothing like it," Tiger Tye commented. Triss's face gentled looking at his good friend and led the way back to the campfire and received a fresh cup of coffee.

Coll and Morgan were wandering in the boarder of the camp and calling out to find Par.

This drew Walker's attention and he turned away from Rhys and Triss to join Coll.

"You won't find him out there, Walker," commented Rhys. "He's gone after Padishar Creel."

Walker's eyes steeled on Rhys, "Then I will hear all that you have told him."

When Rhys recalled his conversation with Par and told Walker every account of it. Walker could not comprehend in Rhy's words what alacrity sent Par scurrying away secretly and into the darkness to find Padishar Creel. Walker looked at Morgan and Coll and went to retrieve his bag that he had brought with him. Calling out to Coll and Morgan to join him, he sat by the campfire and waited for them. Walker glared at the men sitting around the campfire with eyes cold as blue ice and sent them early on to check on their duties and responsibilities. Tiger Tye and Triss went to tend the Roc and the Rovers to their catapults and captives.

When Morgan and Coll joined the Druid, they sat next to him and waited for him to speak. Instead of speaking, Walker opening the bag, he pulled the Sword of Leah and handed it to Morgan.

Morgan's eyes popped opened as he accepted his sword and then looked over to Walker. "This must mean that our oaths are no longer bound."

Walker pulled the Sword of Shannara and handed that to Coll. The elf stones Walker kept until he could give them back to Wren.

The Druids eyes rested on the elf stones in his hand and contemplating them for a moment and then raised his eyes to Morgan. "Evil has been born into our world, an evil so vile, so ominous that it will consume everything in its path. The war has now changed over from a war of men, to war of unearthly powers. We are all there is to stop it. It will take all the magic we possess. That is if we can stop it. It has been foretold to me in my visions and I have felt the evil that it possesses. Par is missing and I fear he has gone after Padishar Creel and walking directly into the path of this evil. Even he may not be strong enough to protect himself and those that he seeks. We will have to move fast and unseen to over take him." Walker did not want to tell them more of the vision he had about Llewellyn. This he would keep to himself. He had hated the kept secrets and the manipulation that Allanon conscripted. He had sworn unto himself that he would never follow in Allanon's footsteps. But his vision of Llewellyn was something that only he would deal with and he would protect against. Walker was not going to allow this to happen to her.

Walker grasped the elf stones and held them firmly in his hand and thought about Wren. He needed her and her abilities to use the elf stones, but he could not wait for her to recover and he did not want to put her in harms way again. Walker also knew if Llewellyn was to follow Wren that this evil would possess her and use her. To what end he was not sure. But it was something that he did not want to face. His feelings for Llewellyn were something that he had never felt before for another person. Her touch, her kiss had brought something alive in him and made him feel whole once more. If it was love, he was not sure, but it was something that he needed to discover for himself. Walker tucked the elf stones back into its pouch and handed them to Morgan who he instructed to place the bag strap around her neck. She only stirred slightly when he lifted her head and tucked them under her blanket.

Walker gathered the rest of his things and waited for Morgan to rejoin them.

"We leave now."

Walker did not give them a chance to speak or ask any questions. He turned quickly and marched over to Triss and Tiger Tye to speak privately with them.

"Under no circumstance will you take Wren nor Llewellyn within ten miles of the Dragon's Teeth. You will see them safely away from here and guard them with your life. That means even if you have to sit on them to stop them. Do I make myself clear!" Walker growled to them and waited for him to give them their oaths on the matter.

Then turning back to his retinues, he led them at a quick pace from the safety of the camp and into a danger that was so uncertain.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A Bond Between Them

Walker Boh pointed to the larger boulders that had begun to move their heavy arms. They could hear what sounded like grinding and cracking stone as a Rock Troll began to stand.

"Par, you must begin your wish song and over take those guards. I will stop the Rock Troll, if I can. I can manage to get through the federation stronghold on my own. I will meet up with you in the mine."

Par nodded to his uncle all the while keeping his eyes on the Rock Trolls that he could see in the dim lighting of the moonlit sky. Being in the high cliffs of the Dragons Teeth Par could see for miles that is, if the sun had risen, which was off by a few hours more or less. He could just make out a glow at the edge of the horizon, but they were going to have to hurry if they were to make it into the federation camp before dawn and the start of the first attack on their enemy. Soon boulders would fall from the sky when the Rovers would release their catapults on the federation soldiers. That thought frighten Par. He had hoped to be inside the mine when that happened.

Par motioned to Morgon and Coll and waited for them to join him.

Even though he had wanted to leave Coll and Morgan behind safely in the Rover's camp, he should have known that they would not have stayed there. Coll would not have stopped until he found him, no matter what the danger.

Rumor, Walker Boh's moor cat, had corned him up a tree, so Par had no choice but to sit and wait for his uncle, Coll and Morgan to join him. Rumor had just appeared out of thin air it seemed. Only thing Par could remember was a small shimmering light and then the big cat was prowling right in front of him. Par had no choice but to climb that tree.

Par shushed Morgan and Coll when they crouched down beside him behind the bush. He pointed to the three soldiers just on the other side a few feet away from them.

"Did you hear that?" questioned the officer to the other two soldiers.

"Yes, sir!" the other soldier agreed. The soldiers craned their necks and eyes back and forth scanning the brush, trees and rock cliffs that surrounded them.

"I've heard it before a time or two while doing guard duty on this cliff. I believe it is just the shifting of rock coming from the cliffs or mountains," said the other.

"I'd believe it if I did not know that we were standing on a flat, solid rock base. It is not likely that rocks would shift on their own," offered the officer trying to reason it out logically.

When Par began to sing casting his wish song onto the three soldiers, they startled and turned sharply towards the sound. When Par stood up in front of them, he knew his magic had already taken hold of them, but the magic had a hold of him also. It sprung to life on its own and he struggled to control it. The magic was no longer doormat, but full of power and strength. His uncle had helped him to understand that the power of the wish song's strength increased only when dark magic was born into the world and that dark magic was within the federation camp. Controlling it took everything he had and more. The three soldiers stood in place complacent as a cat, obeying what he told them to do.

Within moments, Par, Coll and Morgan gathered the soldier's uniforms while the soldiers only in their undergarments were rolling themselves in their blankets by their campfire and then drifted off to sleep.

Par put on the officer's uniform because the clothing was closer to his size, medium height and tapered waist. While Morgan took the tallest soldier's uniform with a wider shoulder span. Coll was stuck with the shorter and wider uniform in which he had to pucker the waistband of the pants with the belt. The coat hung baggy off his shoulders and chest. They gathered their own clothing and placed that into one of the soldier's duffle bag and Par helped Morgan to sling it upon his back.

Turning to his brother and looking him over, Par and Morgan chuckled taking in Coll's appearance. "It's not much of a fit, now is it?"

"Nor is it something to laugh at, Par and Morgon! Walking into camp looking like this, I might as well walk in naked singing the Free-Born Fighter's song and giving myself up to them." Coll's face thwarted looking at his brother.

Par took off the officer's cape and draped it over his brother's shoulders. "Here, this will cover most of it." Turning Coll around to face him and looking at him straight on, he placed his hands on each of his brother's shoulders and added. "If anyone takes notice of it, they'll not get passed me nor to you."

Coll gave his brother a benevolent smile and knew Par meant every word of it and he nodded to his brother.

Par walked away from them to see if he could spot Walker Boh or the Rock Trolls from where he had last saw them, while Morgon and Coll strapped on their swords and talisman. Morgan felt equally the discomfort that Coll felt with his ill-fitting uniform by placing his sword at his side rather than strapped across his back.

Par could no longer see his uncle nor Walker's moor cat. He scanned the boulders to see if he could make out the Rock Trolls, but he could not see them for sure, but his senses told him that they were there.

When Par joined Coll and Morgon, he knew his brother was still on edge and worried.

"If those three awaken for any reason, Par they could alert the entire federation camp," Coll warned his brother.

"I think Walker took care of that problem, Coll," Par told him. He cast rueful eyes upon Coll not telling his brother that Rock Tolls were guarding the soldiers. Coll had always wanted to see Rock Trolls and often fantasized over them. But if he did, Coll would be hard pressed to leave and they needed speed to get into the federation camp and mine before sunrise.

The federation soldiers barely gave them a minutes notice as the three blended in with the others while they strolled easily into the federation camp.

While Par walked with Morgan and Coll, he thought about everything that Rhys had told him of what he saw with Padishar Creel. Damson was also on his mind and he worried about her and what Padishar was up to.

If Par knew anything about Padishar Creel there would be a major assault from the Free-Born fighters coming at the federation in all directions. Sheep and farming was not in Padishar nor did he care a lick about them. Padishar was all about himself and to win at all cost. He did not like to lose. If it was sheep that was on that rouges mind, then those sheep knew how to carry a sword or a cross bow. Padishar liked his wine, but he would never share it with anyone and if he had wagonloads of wine barrels to give to the federation soldiers, then those barrels concealed other things rather than wine. There was nothing noble about Padishar, parson's robes in deed! They were a ruse to get him into the camp, is all.

Yes, Par knew how Padishar Creel thought and how he acted. If he had Damson with him, he had used her passion to save the dwarves, and to save Tyrsis. That is how he met her during the Shadowen War, and that was one of the reasons he fell in love with her. Par understood how she could so easily take up a sword to fight a cause that she believed in. However, he was convinced that Padishar had used his own daughter and placed her in harms way needlessly. He was going to pull her out of there before the first catapult was released.

It was crowded with soldiers all doing various jobs and Par, Morgan and Coll was able to blend in with ease even walking shoulder to shoulder with them. He was amazed at the number of soldiers within this camp. Padishar was out of his mind if he thought he could take on such an army as this of seasoned fighters.

The drunkenness of the soldiers was evident the closer he came to the center of the encampment. Soldiers were singing and dancing and full mugs were raised and men were challenged to drink it down in one gulp. In and amongst the soldiers he spotted the so called parsons. But which one was Padishar, he was not so sure. Par scanned the robed men and his eyes settled upon the least obvious one sitting close to the entrance of the mine. He was fingering a string of his beads wrapped around his waist and looked to be in prayer and solitude. Par's eyebrow's raised in disbelief and he slowly made his way over to that parson. Morgan and Coll followed but stayed a few feet away from the parson which Par went over to greet.

"Those flaming Rock Trolls have better be surrounding the cliff and crevasses…." Padishar hummed and mumbled in a sing-song tone that matched the sound of real Parson's praying. "Amen…." He said that out loud and clearly and then began to mumble quietly once more. "Mattie Row with your bloody heard of sheep with their bows and quivers had better be in the cliffs and rocks……amen."

"Praying is not going to help you, Padishar," whispered Par standing just behind him.

Par could almost hear Padishar Creel gulp and his breath go still just before he joined him, and sat next to him.

"Par!" Padishar whispered with a renewed relief. "This praying stuff really does work. I couldn't have wished for more having you here."

Par held his hand up to him and tried to stop him from going on any further. "I've not come to help you, Creel. I've come for Damson. Tell me where she is!"

"Well you may not have any choice in the matter, my son." Padishar smirked knowing the battle was about to begin at first light. He also gave Par a little tweak with the 'my son' address, as a reminder that he now belongs in his family being married to his only daughter.

"Padishar, you need to get out of here now while you still can. There's dark magic about this camp and you will not succeed in your victory over the federation."

"Yes, we will," Padishar stated with firm conviction. "You stop the dark forces and we'll stop the federation, just like the Shadowen War."

"It's not that easy, Padishar. Tell me where Damson is!"

"In the mine," Padishar gestured slightly over to the opening just behind him and then added, "freeing our first surprise attack, if you know what I mean."

"You dog!" snarled Par and he snapped up to standing position before his father-in-law. "How could you do that to your only daughter?"

"Sit down, my son and lower your voice." Padishar said in between clenched teeth and waited for Par to calm himself before he spoke. "If you think you can stifle Damson from her passions and her convictions just because you married her. You may want to reexamine your thinking. She is your wife, yes. But you do not own her completely. You put up walls to bar her and you may find that she is able to knock them down. Perhaps knock you down with it. I don't even think your magic could stop her. If you truly love Damson, then you must also accept her for who she is and respect her for that." Padishar paused for a moment to see if his words gave meaning to Par. Then he also added.

"Even if you could change her with your magic, I wonder if you would, Par? Because if you did, Damson would not be Damson any longer, now would she?"

Par went silent knowing Padishar had spoken the truth about his daughter. She was very passionate about the things that she believed in. So much so, that she had put her own life at risk numerous times to save the dwarves, save him and all those that she loved. That was one part of Damson that Par fell in love with. Yes, she had strong convictions and she would pick up a sword to prove them true. Par's eyes lowered to the ground and he too looked as if he had just received absolution from a real parson. Any on looker would have sworn it.

"Go to her, Par. Protect her, protect us and stop the dark magic, if you can."

Par stood and walked a few paces and Morgan and Coll joined him, but suddenly he stopped and turned around, then spoke to Creel. "I'll do what I'm able and I'll see her safely out of those mines and away from federation hands. You make sure that you are here when it's over with. Damson would never forgive me if something ever happened to you."

"You watch yourself also, my son. She too would never forgive me if anything happened to you."

Par looked deeply into Padishar's eyes and he could see a bond between them that would forever bind them together, equally strong as Coll's bond to him. Padishar was his family also. Par accepted that. Nodding to his father-in-law, Par walked to the opening of the mine and sang a simple song for the guard to allow him and Coll and Morgan to enter, and allowing the guard to think that they belonged inside.

Xxx

The mole moved like a thief slipping through the dark of the mine so the federation soldiers standing guard in clustered areas would not see him. He could clearly see even in pitch darkness, a gift that was innate to him. His mother and father were both dwarves and lived on a farm near Tyrsis. However when he was born, it was evident that he was different from any other dwarves. He was born not a boy, nor a girl. He had no identifying parts that would state what he truly was and his mother could not accept a child who was not born perfect. She felt it a reflection on her part that she could not born a normal child. So she turned her anger and resentment towards this child. She took to hiding her child's differences from everyone, especially her own husband. She was cold and heartless and after his father had died to a farming accident, a few years later, she took to locking her child up in the cellar and was kept away from contact from other dwarves. She had told her family, friends and neighbors that her son had died also. He lived his life within the small, tight quarters of the darkened cellar without any light at all. The only merest of light that he had seen is when his mother came to feed him and that was only once at night and sometimes once every third night. The small light burnt his eyes and he coward away from it, staying in the darkness and away from his own mother. After she had placed the food on a makeshift table and scorned him fiercely, she would turn and leave. He was never taught to read nor write, and barely heard a tender voice ever spoken to him. He feared others and believed all the lies his mother had told him to keep him in line and hidden. When he grew to adulthood his mother stopped coming to the cellar and stopped bringing him food. He heard no noises, but only the wind blowing on the locked and barricaded cellar door. Near to starvation, the mole had dug himself out of the cellar and then out into the broad gloom of the night. He managed to make his way into Tyrsis, but soon discovered when the sun rose that morning the horrible, painfulness of the light. With guttural cries and shielding of his eyes, he soon found his way deep underground and into the tunnels that the ancient dwarves had built under its city, now all but forgotten by those who lived above him. Then one evening when the mole would go up into the city to rummage through the garbage pits of Tyrsis, Damson watched him and followed him into the tunnels below. When she became lost and disoriented, it was the mole who had found her and helped her. They had become friends ever since. Damson took care of the mole, bringing him food, tender and caring words of comfort and offering him her protection. She was kind and gentle, and the mole loved and trusted her.

The mole—that is what he called himself, was from his life living in total darkness. Then since he was neither man nor woman, the Mole could identify that he had two strong personalities that were in constant conflict within his own mind. He liked to think of himself as a 'he' since he did not like to wear dresses and his body, arms and face were covered in thick course hair, even though his other half tried to convince him otherwise trying to force a more feminine thinking to his personality. So his female half liked to nurture the rag dolls and other stuffed animals that he had found while his male half found Damson pleasingly to look at, admire and care for. The Mole was simpleminded even after being years older than Damson.

His nose twitched again in the direction of another tunnel that appeared to descend deeper into the mine. Beckoning him onward, the Mole sensed something very familiar about the presences in the mine and he followed it.

XXX

Morgan saw the wagon first when he entered the mine and strolled over to it. He noticed the large wine barrels that were now open and empty. Par came around the other side and saw the unusual hinged door of the false bottom on the wagon and he knelt down to peer inside of it. Coll climbed into the wagon on the driver's side and stood on the seat so he could see down into the largest wine barrel. At the very bottom, Coll noticed a broken arrow head and a leather belt that could have come off a quiver.

Par closed and locked the hidden door of the false bottom wagon and motioned Coll and Morgan over to him.

Sliding the lid on the wine barrel closed, Coll jumped down and joined him and Morgon. The three doffed their soldier's clothing and sorted out their own clothing and redressed. Morgan smiled when he strapped his sword over his shoulder and grasped the hilt of the sword in his hand and testing the feel of ease it had to drawing it.

They quickened their steps and came around the first doorway that led deep into the mine. Par used his wish song to generate a light bright enough for them to see and it floated just inches above his open hand.

Coll's eyes popped taking in the appearance of the mine. There were ledges going off in different directions and crevices that were interminable. There were long crystals that clung from ceiling to floor in stone shaped cones that joined each other in the middle. While other crystals attached to the floor stone seemed smooth and polished. Those crystals glistened in array of colors that danced with the wan light that touched each other coming from Par's hand. The echo in the cavern was immense and if a pebble had dropped you would have heard its sound bounce for minutes.

"Well, which ledge do we take?" asked Coll. "They appear to be going off in any direction."

Par paced a few feet in front of Morgon and Coll, looking at the ledges and the different paths they led. "We wait for Walker Boh. He said he would meet us here in the mine."

"For how long?" insisted Coll. "He may have never made it pass the outpost of the guards."

Par gave Coll a censorious look. "He'll be here, Coll."

Coll moved to the farthest ledge by the cave's wall and tested his footing upon the stone path. Turning around, he stood and watched Morgon and Par who were doing the same thing with the other two ledges. A lurid shadow illuminated directly behind Coll and then faded to nothing. A single peremptory hand came down upon Coll's shoulder and it almost startled him from his skin.

Coll gulped audibly turning around to see Walker Boh standing behind him. He shut his mouth so tight that his teeth clicked facing the Druid with his eyes that could look right through you.

"We go this way," Walker stated imperiously and turned around bluntly and walked up the stone ledge in which he materialized. The three joined him following the Druid close behind.

Half way up the ledge path, the crystals began to hum and vibrate that sent a sharp sounding pitch dancing off the walls and ceiling of the mine. The stone walls seemed to answer the call of the crystals and they shook and shuddered sending their loose rocks down in waves of dirt, dust and rocks.  
Walker stopped and gathered his party closer behind him and the four pressed themselves against the wall of the cave until it finally settled. No sooner did the cave quieted then they felt the first pounding of the boulders that hit against the mountain of the mine. It was now dawn and the battle had just begun. Par could only wonder while he squatted next to the wall, what was happening just outside of the mine and the frenzy of the federation trying to organize themselves against all the Free-born Fighters that should be descending upon them at this very moment. Par turned his attention back to the ledge and the stone path that would lead him to his wife and whatever evil presences that they would have to face. An earth quaking shudder suddenly shook the stone floor and walls of the mine sending aged old crystals shattering from the very roof. The sound was deafening as the crash that recoiled from the echo bounded back at them full force. Walker Boh felt it harder than his companions only having one hand to cover one ear. The sound wave brought the Druid to slump down further upon his knees and fell against the stone wall. Par fought to stand to help his uncle when the lose rocks began to fall from the ceiling's ledge directly over his head. Par lost his footing suddenly and he throughout his hands to grasp on anything they could get a hold of. His feet skidded and slid and he could not find his footing. The rock slide pulled him away from his party and slid him from off the path on the ledge in which his brother, Morgan and Walker Boh huddled together against the stone wall. All Coll could see was the horror and surprise in Par's eyes while he dangled for a moment holding on with his fingertips to an embedded rock on the edge of the ledge. Coll screamed at the top of his voice and flung himself towards Par trying to catch him before he disappeared from his view.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

This Way to Battle

The darkness of the mine gave way to a radiant glow of light from the inner chambers in which the Mole was heading towards. He was being drawn to it and the innocence of his mind could not keep him from it. It tantalized him and he could not help himself from it.

The closer he got to it the more he could sense its desire. What he felt was abhorrence, corruptness, and the existence of it was pure evil. Those feelings had brought him back to when he was much younger and in the presences of his own mother, an evil that he had always lived with and recognized.

The Mole covered his eyes just like he had always done when the cellar door opened and the flicker of light descended down onto the wooden steps and into his darkness. But this time was going to be different, this time he was going to go into the light rather than hiding and shielding himself away from it.

The Mole lowered the large bag to the stone floor that he had taken from the federation soldiers at the last check point before entering this section of Cullinan's mine. He had put into the bag gifts for his children to take back home with him. There was a soft worn blanket and filthy towel. He found a shiny chain bracelet and broken wooden comb. Setting this next to his feet, the Mole smiled thinking how happy his children would be with their new found gifts. He wiped the sweat from his brow and a feminine voice began to echo in his mind and then through his lips.

"The sweet Mole can do this. The sweet Mole can do this for us," her voice lightly whispered and then becoming much sterner. "The Mole must stop her!"

"The sweet Mole is afraid of her, she will hurt the Mole. She will hurt us," his voice whispered, sputtering from his fearful lips. He crouched down upon his heels, cowering in the darkness and shielding his eyes away from the glow of the light coming from the inner chambers.

"The lovely Damson can do it," her voice gently spoke to encourage him. "If the lovely Damson can do it, the sweet Mole can, too. We can both do it together."

"Yes, lovely Damson," his lips bent in a blossoming smile just thinking about her. "You should have spoken to her, you know. You always make me tell her what you want to say to lovely Damson."

"You know I do not speak to anyone, but the sweet Mole."

"You're much too shy, my dearest one, and much too bossy, too. The children tell this to me often," Thinking of their stuffed teddy bears, bunny rabbits and worn out old rag dolls, that they called their children.

"And you're much too timid of her," the Moles eyes darted toward the glow of the light from the chamber directing his attention to the evil in which she spoke about.

"She wants the lovely Damson, you know," the Mole spoke to her. "The sweet Mole can sense her desire."

"But the sweet Mole will not let her. We will not let her take our lovely Damson."

"No, we will not let her! She will not get her filthy hands upon the lovely Damson!" the Mole growled through his clenched sharp teeth.

"Come sweet Mole and let us stop her together."

The Mole hoisted the bag upon his shoulder and rose to his feet. He could feel her entity almost pulling him along. He shielded his eyes as he rounded the carved-out doorway and entered into the full light of the diamond in which Cullinan has brought forth from the kimberlite. Cullinan's diamond sparkled and illuminated, casting brilliant colors against the rock and stone cavern and then descended its energy upon the Mole. The Mole screamed with guttural cries as he clutched himself hissing and spitting. He sunk to his knees and fell to the stone floor crying out, "Lovely Damson, come help us!"

The Mole felt the power of Cullinan's diamond hesitating for just a moment from the two separate halves that existed within the Mole, trying to latch down and spilt to seize both entities. In that moment, his she half surged through the Mole and grasped the Mole's hands around the diamond and forced it into the bag that they carried. But the malignant presence had already grasped the Mole's male-half and dominated that spirit. But in the darkness of the bag the diamond's radiance could not be seen and it lay dormant within the bag. The heinous diamond seeped deeper into the mole, feeling in the darkness for the other entity it knew was hiding there.

The female half.

However, the irrationality of the Mole's mind could not comprehend the vileness of the one that now immersed him and it absorbed all his thoughts and his memories.

A white glow beamed in the Mole's eyes and began to sing, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" The Mole called to his other half. "The mole is lonely, the Mole needs you. Please, come back to me."

The more the Mole called to her, she never came to him as she had always done in the past and he could no longer feel her presence. He began to cry, "She's gone…gone…..gone!"

He crumbled to the floor sobbing. "It's your fault, you did this to her! You made her leave me, mother! You killed her, she is gone. I hate you!"

The drumming began to echo in his mind, a drumming of malevolence that further sent his mind deeper into madness. While the drumming pounded in his head, images of Damson began to appear, images of him bringing Damson to the diamond within his bag. He clutched his bag in both his hands trying hard to choke the life out of it. The drumming became louder and louder. The Mole hoisted the bag on his shoulders and pressed his hands tightly to his ears and he began to scream.

"You will not get your filthy hands on the lovely Damson. The Mole will not let you kill her! We will bury you so deep in the ground that no one will ever find you!"

He ran screaming from the cavern where Cullinan's had brought up the largest diamond ever found.

XXX

Coll slid upon the loosen rocks and reached his hand out to grasp Par's fingers that held onto the embedded rock while he dangled on the edge of the crevice. Within that split second, Coll saw Par's fingers slip from the rock that he had held onto and his brother was gone from his sight. Morgon, at the same time, lunged towards Coll to save him from sliding off the edge with his brother.

Walker Boh forced a weave of his magic so rapid that he knew his finger tips were burning with its release. The power raced out of him like a whip being released with such a vigor the sound of it boomed and echoed within the cavernous space. The strength of it grasped Par from mid-air and held him with such force it took what breath he had left. Then just like a whip being recoiled, he flew upon the wind until he fell crumbled at the feet of his uncle on the solid cavern floor.

Taking in his breath, he felt Walker Boh's hand clenched about the front of his coat and being hoisted to stand. His voice was indignant and his eyes heated as coals upon a fire.

"Why didn't you use your magic, Par, it would have saved you!" Walker shouted at him.

"I didn't have time Walker, it happened all too fast," it was all that Par could say before he noticed Walker's eyes suddenly gentle.

"You could have……" Walker Boh stopped in mid-sentence knowing if he was not there that Par would have died; that fact alone is what brought him first to his angry and then to his compassion for his nephew.

He released his hold of Par and walked a couple of steps away to collect himself and then turned back to him.

"What we face in this mine, Par, is far faster, equally deadly as your missed step. The magic that you possess is all that can save you and perhaps save them. Keep your wits about you, Par and trust your magic."

With that said, Walker Boh turned around and he was making his way up the ledge and out of this section of the cavern.

Coll's arms reached around Par and held him in a masculine hug holding him until he stopped shaking. Par patted his brother's shoulder, "It's all right, Coll. I'm all in one piece."

Morgon also placed his arms around the two, joining their relief that Par was still with them. "Come, if we lose sight of Walker, we'll all be lost in this forsaken mine."

No sooner than they had left the entrance of the mine when it became illuminated once again on the farthest side of the cavern. The torches held by thousands of dwarves in a well-formed line, all fraught with weaponry and gaunt faces written with retribution aimed at the Federation now under seize.

Xxx

The walls of the mine echoed with the hammering of the boulders from the catapult of the Free-born Fighters and Damson knew she ran out of time.

"Griffin, gather your dwarves and lead them out of the mine. The Free-born Fighters need your strength of arms to drive the Federation out of this valley."

"It's all ready done, Lass or have you lost count with our numbers of freed dwarves?"

Damson had lost count how many caverns they entered, how many federation guards that they had assaulted and captured. With Griffin leading his dwarves they had proven the strength of the dwarves was everything that her father had said them to be. Their diminutive height held nothing back from the skill that they possessed with the weaponry that she brought. Swiftly they had gone through endless caverns after caverns freeing thousands upon thousands of dwarves. Padishar now had his army that he wanted.

Griffin grinned at Damson knowing how hard that she was pushing herself to free all the dwarves. She had organized them and planned out strategies to capture the federation soldiers that guarded sections of the mine. They all but had them completely contained.

She stood up and wiped the beads of sweat from her brow and knuckled her back. Damson handed the keys over to the dwarf that she had just freed from his chains to allow him to free his other comrades.

"Once these dwarves are freed, we'll send them out as well, but we'll need my group to enter into Cullinan's cavern. His group of dwarves is the ones heavily guarded. There, in his mine the strikes are the largest. We'll be hard pressed getting past those guards."

Griffin looked onward to the next level of the mine.

Cullinan's level.

Thinking of seeing Cullinan again almost brought a smile to the old dwarf. It had been years since he last laid eyes upon his good friend. He knew Cullinan as he knew himself. There was not a kinder dwarf in all Callahorn. Freeing the dwarves in this section of the mine was going to be his pleasure. Griffin grasped the hilt of his short sword in a firm grip and waited while the others were doffing off their chains and organizing themselves in groups to be lead out of the mine and fight for the Free-born Fighters.

"This way, Lass!" Griffin gestured with his sword pointing to the lowest level of the mine. His group of dwarves stood behind him and raised their torches to light the entrance of the lowest section. While Damson joined Griffin at his side, he turned to her saying, "Just on the other side of this stone stands the federation soldiers. This should be one of the best fighting that you'd put eyes too."

Griffin all but glowed with the excitement to engage in another battle with the federation. "There's lads down there that I need to settle a score with and no time better than now."

Griffin all but cavorted his steps down the stone ramp and rounded the corner to enter Cullinan's cavern.

There hard faces turned sullen taking in the sight that met them. Federation soldiers lay out upon the floor in a bloodbath of decapitated heads and bodies. Not only did he see federation soldiers, but dwarves he had known his entire life. This was just not a battle of the soldiers and dwarves, this went far beyond that. This was veil in iniquity. The cavern held gibbering terror and smelt of death.

Griffin tried to pull his wits in place trying to make sense of what he saw. Walking further in the cavern, he saw a dwarf hunched over a bloodied body and it rose to greet him.

Griffin's eyes popped when he instantly recognized Cullinan or what he thought was Cullinan. He lowered his sword for only a moment and immediately raised it again. Cullinan's eyes were white awls of glowing light and those eyes were upon Damson. He could sense death looming.

Griffin only had a moment to shout, "Get her out of here!"

Before those haunting eyes gleamed with a ray of light that hit him full force and his life fell away from him as he hit the stone floor.

The Dwarves standing behind Damson grabbed her and hoisted her upon their shoulders and turned running out of Cullinan's cavern.

Damson fought and kicked at the dwarves shouting, "Put me down you stone-heads!"

One of her feet hit a dwarf square upon his nose and he yelped letting go of her leg. Damson swung around and belted another dwarf with her fist and he too let go of her shoulder and fell back holding a large welt growing on the side of his cheek. The other dwarves holding her immediately let her go not wanting what the others got from her.

"Griffin is dead by that thing in the cavern and you all just leave him there!" she spluttered shouting at them.

The dwarves stood huddled together staring opened-eyed and shifting there gaze upon Damson and then to each other.

"That could not have been Cullinan!" one dwarf stated.

"Why would Cullinan kill Griffin?" asked the other.

"No dwarf could do what my eyes saw," added the white-gaunt faced dwarf standing closest to Damson.

"That's more than what sword nor arrow can kill, my lady," added the red-headed dwarf who stood on the other side of her. The rest of Griffin's dwarves all nodded in agreement.

The entire group of dwarves seemed confused, disheartened and shaken by what they had just been through. Damson who had lived her life with her father and had seen more battles and planned strategically precise maneuvers against the federation soldiers and commanded the Free-born Fighters, now took control over them. They had no time for commiseration for the loss of Griffin or the others who had fallen at the hands of that thing. She had to rally them before their courage faltered.

"You there, get behind the stone! You three on the other side him! The rest of you follow me!" Damson shouted and began organizing the dwarves for the assault she knew that was coming. That thing was now coming after them and she was going to stop it. She had to or they were all going to die.

The white glow in the eyes of Cullinan dimmed and he turned from the stone entrance and the woman he intended to capture for the diamond that possessed him. He felt her call to him when the Mole had placed it in total darkness. He began to move fast, back through his section of the mine and the cavern where she had rested.

XXX

The ground shook with each catapult that was released as another boulder went sailing through the air. Wren slowly opened her eyes and felt another shuddering of the ground.

She kicked off her blanket and rolled to her feet and her head felt like it was still on the ground. Her vision tilted trying to take in the sight of the Rovers running and the Rock Trolls hoisting large boulders into the catapults. Her knees felt weak and unstable and would buckle if she tried to take a step. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground while she waited for her senses to clear. Then she felt a familiar tap upon her chest and she looked down between her breasts. There was her bag of the elfstones and she clutched the bag in her hand. Wren immediately knew if Walker Boh had given them back to her, then her oath to him was no longer warranted. Her eyes rose from them and she knew that there was dark magic within this war and her elves needed her more then their military commanders.

Triss bounded to his feet from where he was sitting with Tiger Tye and raced over to Wren's side. "My lady!" his voice raised in a pitch with excitement at seeing her awake and standing before him. Tiger Tye was paces behind him.

"Triss, what is happening here?" Wren rubbed her temples trying to clear her head.

"It's the war, my lady. It has started."

"Triss, I can see that!" Wren stated irritably, her head pounding as loud as the boulders in the catapults.

Triss reached out his hand to steady the queen of the elves when she wobbled taking her first step. "You're not well yet, my lady. You must rest yourself."

"Non-sense, Triss," Wren stated and turned to Tiger Tye.

"Get your roc ready for flight, Tiger Tye and get us into that federation camp!"

"We cannot, my lady. As long as those boulders are pounding the federation, we can not get within leagues of that camp."

Wren's eyes narrowed at her requests not being honored. "Then you get us as close as we are able!" she shouted at them.

"My lady," Triss cringed at her temper. "The Druid has made us give our oaths not to allow you nor Llewellyn within leagues of the Dragon's Teeth."

"Since when does Druid orders or oaths outweigh those of the queen and for that matter the safety our own people! I will not stand here, Triss, and watch our elves being slaughtered and certainly not by a Druid's oath! Get your roc ready Tiger Tye!"

"Yes, my lady!"

Tiger Tye pulled Triss by his elbow and the both went scurrying away to obey her.

"Trouble, my lady?" asked Rhys casually as he strolled over to her with an indecent smile upon his lips.

"Wipe that smile off your face, you scoundrel, and do what you can to stop those catapult. I have to get into that federation camp!" snapped Wren all the while running her fingers through her hair doing her best to straighten it. She needed to look queenly and in command and she could not do that with rumbled hair and wrinkled clothing.

"Done, my lady," came Rhys quick reply as he snapped his fingers as if magically honoring her request. He already knew that the catapults were only to fire one hour after sunrise, but he did not want to tell her that part.

When Wren looked up she saw the Rock Trolls lumbering into the forest and away from the catapults.

"You're incorrigible, you know that don't you!" Wren had to smile beside her ill feelings and bad temper.

"Yes, my lady," Rhys feint an obsequious smile. "You would have me no other way!"

"Rhys, really!" Wren set pleading eyes upon him. "Do be serious, please. We have to get into that camp. The lives of my elves and the men of the four lands cannot conquer what these stones can prevent."

Wren clutched the elfstones in her hands and looked towards the Dragons Teeth dolefully.

"Then it's my honor to escort you there personally," Rhys responded and gave her a deep eloquent bow. He also did not want to tell her that is where he was heading anyway. He had hoped to go with her by way of roc, of course, verses traversing the forest land with the other Rovers and Rock Trolls.

Raymere petulant mood boomed with the shout of his voice. "Rhys, get back with your men. We've got a fast march ahead of us!"

Rhys casually brought his arm around Wren and placed an indolent stance of his feet upon the ground just to tweak his cousin's uproarious bad mood and waited for his cousin to join him.

Wren's eyes rolled knowing full well Rhys's waywardness of his character. When Raymere joined them seething with anger and ready to come to blows with his cousin, Rhys only grinned showing a dazzling rueful smile.

"I'll tell you what, Raymere. You march and I'll be waiting for you when you get there."

Raymere set back on his heels knowing the bilked character of his cousin and he raised and interesting brow. "And how will you accomplish that, dear cousin?"

"By way of roc, of course, dearest cousin."

Raymere scratched his heavy bread and nodded with a widening grin upon his lips. "Then I don't suppose you have a little room for your dearest cousin to be joining you?"

Wren elbowed Rhys to his ribs and shook her head contemptuously at him. "The both of you are impossible!"

Rhys released Wren and clutched his ribs groaning. "That is with our lady's permission." He bowed still holding on to his ribs.

Wren folded her arms in front of her and was piqued anew at the pair of them. "Just as long as you do not have any more cousins wanting to join us," she added raising her eyebrows at them.

"No, my lady," they both shook their heads and then smiled at each other knowing they did not have a long walk ahead of them.

Llewellyn doffed off her blanket and sat up yawning and Wren went over to see to her.

"Wren!" Llewellyn grasped her hands tightly. "Bless the light, you are well!"

Wren stroked Llewellyn long hair gently, "Thanks to you and your gift. May the Arborlon's blessing always be upon you."

"And upon you, my lady," Llewellyn added smiling up at Wren.

"Are you well, Llewellyn?"

"Yes, my lady, quite well."

"Then cast your blankets and rise, Llewellyn. Tiger Tye is bringing his roc and we must be off to aid our people. Your talents will be needed once again."


	10. Chapter 10 Left to Fate

Chapter 10

Left to Fate

Damson watched the dwarves while they got into position and made themselves ready for the thing called Cullinan to appear. While their focus was so riveted on the opening of which they barely escaped, Damson turned to the farthest dwarf in the back and whispered to him. "Go as quickly as you can and find the dwarves that we just released and send them back here. Continue on until you are out of the mind and find a man named Padishar Creel. Tell him that Damson needs him and to bring his men here to me. We can not allow this thing to escape us."

The dwarf turned quickly and trotted away from them and disappeared into the darkness of the cavern. Damson, then turned to a stout dwarf with a long, red beard and thick, strong arms. He wore a leather armband upon each wrist and a leather cord tied around his rounded belly. His tunic was made of rough material and embedded with dirt and grime. She had seen him more times then not at Griffin's side and when Griffin needed something, he was the first to attend him. If Griffin trusted him, than Damson could do no better in finding someone that could answer her most pressing questions about Cullinan's Cavern. "Are there any other paths into that section of the mine?"

The dwarf's dark brown eyes shifted looking from side to side at his comrades in arms. He, like the rest of Griffin's dwarves was sworn to secrecy of hidden passageways to where diamonds were moved and stored away from the federation guards. There were air shafts large enough for the dwarves to crawl within and many other areas of hiding. The dwarf nodded knowing their very lives depended upon Damson knowing where these were located. He swatted upon his heels and began to draw with a short, fat finger the mapping of Cullinan's cavern. Behind the deposits of crystals that were natural resource in the mine, and where the openings of these hidden passageways were located. The crystal formations in the cave were hanging from the ceiling and dripped downwards to the stone floor. There were broken crystals in large shards scattered throughout the passages in Cullinan's Cavern.

Damson studied the routes in this section of the mine that looped around almost in a perfect circle and the hidden opening was a far distance behind them. There back was exposed and she did not have enough dwarves to split them up to guard each tunneled entrance and each passageway. Her mind was spinning trying to strategize an opposition. She waved to the dwarves and pulled them back from the entrance that they guarded and they raced to get into a new position that would give them a greater chance of sealing off that entire section of hidden passageways. If that thing got there before they could reach it they would be cut off from any help that was coming. She had to leave it to luck that they would reach it before the thing called Cullinan could, that, and the dwarf that she just sent out. If that thing got to him first no one would ever know that they were in such dire straights. Luck was all she had if they were to make it out alive. It was now up to fate, she prayed that fate would be kind.

She ran following the torch that the dwarf had in his hand, the one that mapped out the passageways who now led this ragtag group of dwarves. Her thoughts drifted to Par and her father and she wondered if she would ever see them again. Her marriage to Par had only just begun and they had much to live for. Had he come back to the Vale and his parents and found her gone? Knowing Par, he would come for her, but would it be too late? Her heart pounded in fear that she would never see him again. Damson clutched the hilt of her sword until her knuckles were white with determination. No, she would not allow doubt to enter. She would not allow fate to be unkind. Resolved, she knew she would see this day to its end and she would hold Par in her arms. Her father would be waiting just outside of the mine and the Free-born Fighters would be victorious. The Federation would be driven out of Callahorn and they would know freedom once more. Damson ran on with the dwarves with her sword held high above her.

XXX

Deep into the tunnel and as quickly as his feet could tread, the Mole followed the stone craved out corridor that always veered to the right as if it traveled in a complete circle. All around him were large broken shards of crystals that were shaved off from the ceiling, walls and floor and left where they had fallen. The crystals were clear-cut and shiny pieces that would have attracted him to where he would have placed them into his bag for his children. But from behind him, he heard the constant drumming of feet that were pursuing him and kept his own feet running.

In the darkness, the Mole hid behind boulders and in large cracks and crevasse and each time the one that followed him had narrowly caught him. Only because of the Mole's innate gift of his clear vision in total darkness had saved him from being captured. His dark inset eyes that peered out from bushy, thick-coat of wiry, coarse hair, had a glimpse of his pursuer and the Mole could sense his desire to take the diamond from him. The Mole hated the diamond, but he too desired it and could not force himself to set it aside. Behind a cluster of broken crystal, he saw the bright shining eyes of the dwarf that followed him. He was frightful to look upon with eyes that could haunt you. The Mole could see the tunneled air shafts and once he climbed into them to hide. Sitting beside him in the tight quarters were burlap sacks filled with all shapes of shiny rocks. Not being able to help himself, he put a stubby, hair hand into the bag sitting next to him and filled his pocket full. He squished himself in between them and ducked down to hide. It was not for long because in the next moment he could see the glow in the eyes of the one who followed as it peered into the shaft. The Mole tumbled the bags of shiny rocks down the shaft to block that thing's entrance to where he was hiding. Then quickly he crossed the narrow shaft that stretched out straight ahead of him. Behind him, he heard that creature clawing into the shaft and knew it was climbing in after him. Upon hands and knees, he crawled quickly to another joining honed-out shaft that was smooth and it descended downward at a 90 degree angle. He lowered himself into the airshaft and slid down so fast that he could have easily been on ice and hit the stone flooring of the tunnel with a thud. Then before his feet had a chance to settle themselves upon the tunnel floor, he bounded to the nearest place he could hide behind. He had only moments to curl himself into a ball behind a cluster of crystals that stood the size of two dwarves tall and two dwarves wide and jutted out with sharp shards in all directions. When the shiny-eyed creature landed upon the stone flooring of the tunnel and only seconds behind the Mole; The Mole was well concealed beneath the crystal.

Then just like before, the creature appeared lost and confused as if his quarry suddenly just vanished into thin air. Even the pounding in his ears from the vileness of the diamond that possessed him suddenly became quiet and still. The Mole suddenly realized it was the crystals that protected him, that, and as long as he carried the diamond, he would never be free of the one who followed. Smiling with a new found sparkle in his dark eyes, he hissed a soft whisper to his inner-self.

"My lovely, we have found away; yes we have," he muttered through his sharp teeth talking to her that had always dwelt within him. The Mole still could not feel her presence with him and he had only hoped that she was still there. "The crystals will hide nasty Mother and she will not harm you any longer. She will not harm our lovely Damson, either. Here you will stay nasty Mother and I alone will forever own you!"

The Mole place his bag with the largest diamond ever found in the center of the cluster of crystals and crouched back down to hide.

Twittering with pleasure, he was pleased to finally be rid of the diamond and at the same time he anguished for it. Its malevolence presence still corrupted his mind with thoughts of bringing Damson to the diamond. Those thoughts consumed him.

His dark eyes darted from the smooth curves of the stone wall just ahead of him trying to locate the one who was seeking him. From his concealment beneath the crystals, he could clearly see him in the dark shadows a few yards ahead of him. The Mole quickly crawled out from under the crystals and scurried back down the stone corridor. When the Mole felt he was at a safe distance, he began to make noises and tossing a rock to gain the shiny-eyed creature's attention. When it turned and came after him, the Mole slide into the darkest shadow and climbed into the airshaft and waited until it passed him in the tunnel. Sliding out of the airshaft, the Mole raced down the long curved tunnel and got himself away from the creature and the vile diamond. He twittered and twittered to himself with the thought of finding Damson, and he hurried to the place she told him to wait for her. He knew she would return for him. Damson has always kept her word. A malicious grin curved his lips just thinking about her.

When he entered into the larger corridor and out of the curved tunnel that was hidden behind a tall cone crystal, the Mole could hear fast moving feet approaching and he jumped with a start wondering if more shiny-eyes creatures were down this far in the tunnel. He could just make out the light of torches heading his way.

The Mole turned and raced out of that section of tunnels and making his way back through the caverns and channels.

XXX

Walker Boh gestured and pointed to Morgon to get behind the stone and for Par and Coll to follow him. He had sensed the approach of something coming in their direction but he could not tell if they were friend or foe. He pulled Par behind him and Coll fell in behind Par. They waited behind the curve of the carved out doorway for those that were coming.

The light of many torches broke the darkness in the mine to almost full light with their approach. Walker knew before he saw that these were a group of dwarves. Walker wove a magic light and cast it out in front of him to warn the dwarves of their presence. The Dwarves stopped their march and gathered themselves together.

"Stand ready, Par," instructed Walker Boh and he walked out into the light that he created. He stretched out his only arm high above him to show the dwarves that he was unarmed and carried no visible weapons. Par and Coll came around the door entrance and stood behind their uncle. Morgon held his position in case the dwarves had other ideas and began to attack them. He would bring a surprise attack from behind.

"Dwarves of Callahorn, lower your weapons. We are allies that come in your aid," declared Walker Boh.

The last dwarves that Damsom had freed were on their march to join the fighting for the Free-born Fighters outside their mine. The one who took the lead of this group was a gruff, old dwarf with graying, long whiskers that hung near to his waist. He carried one of Damson crossbows and a large quiver strapped to his back. He had broad shoulders and thick arms that Walker could clearly see with the sleeveless tunic that he wore. At his waist, the dwarf wore a thick, wide leather belt with a bronze belt buckle that held up his oversize belly. The dwarf lowered his crossbow, and eyed the three who stood before him and then the light that shone around them that was not lit by any torch. He had heard talk of Druid's magic, but he had never seen it until now. He eyed Walker suspiciously.

"If yer comin' fer our aid, you be late in yer efforts. We're well armed and ready to take our place in the fightin'. Our lady has freed the last of us and has gone after Cullinan and his group. They be shortly after us, further in the mine."

Par's eyes widened at the mention of the lady. He knew that it was Damson that he spoke of. "Tell us where we can find her?" he called out to the one that spoke.

The dwarf pointed his crossbow and turned to gesture behind him. "About a league down further in the tunnel," he told them.

"To victory of the Free-born Fighters," commented Walker Boh as he waved his friends to follow him. The light followed Walker as he approached the group of dwarves and the dwarves kept their eyes upon the Druid and his magic light that glowed around them.

The dwarves bunched themselves to one side against the wall of the tunnel to let the Druid and his friends get past them. They were surprised when Morgon came out of the dark and joined them. He held the sword of Leah in his hands and he nodded to the group as he passed them.

XXX

The stretched out wings of the roc sailed upon the wind over the federation camp. Tiger Tye and Triss were strapped to its back and they could see the carnage of the battle below them. It was like thousands upon thousands of ants coming out of an anthill as federation soldiers scattered in all directions until the commanders stood upon boulders shouting out their orders to rally their troops. The boulders that were flung into their camp caused chaos as soldiers ran for their weapons and dodging raining boulders and rock slides from the mountain that surrounded them on all sides.

"Form lines, front and center!" yelled the commanders at the top of his voice. Shouts of men yelled back over their shoulders carrying their commander's orders to others who could not hear him. Soldiers began to snap in tight fitting lines having a man standing in front, to both sides of them and men in back of them.

The Free-born Fighter's archers raised themselves from the mountains ledges notching an arrow and drawing back their bowstrings taunt.

The federation commanders took in the positions of their enemy and began to set their strategies to lunge a counterattack. "Front row soldiers, shields up!" Their commanders were red faced and straining their voices and eyes bulging trying to shouting out their orders to their men. The first three rows of soldiers knelt upon their knee and raised their shields high above them. The archers that stood directly behind the front row soldiers were protected by their shields and lances that they held. The commander's orders was heard and echoed back through the ranks of their men.  
"Archers stand ready!" shouted the commander and the archers notched their arrows and drew back their bowstrings, standing ready for the order to fire.

The commander raised his arm high above him that held on to the hilt of his sword. "First row archers, ready….Fire!" They snapped the sword down in one, long, swift motion and the arrows flew against the Free-born Fighters on the mountain's ledge.

"Archers loose!" came the order of the Free-born Fighters as they rained down their arrows upon their enemy. Arrows flew in such waves it looked like they poured from the sky. Screams of men hit with arrows on both sides were heard as each row rose and lowered to fire another round of arrows to their enemy. When a soldier fell, another one took their place, but they never lost their cohesion and they stood strong defending themselves and launching their attacks.

The valley of the Dragon's Teeth was a bloodlust of war. Waves of soldiers and men were clashed together shoulder to shoulder and arm to arm in the center of the fighting. From Triss's viewpoint not a square of ground could be seen, but only waves of bodies of men. Ruction of steel pounding upon armor and sword and the din of battle vibrated the mountains that surrounded them.

Tiger Tye pulled his roc higher in the sky and turned it sharply gaining distance away from the archers. Triss leaned over to his friend and comrade to point towards the ground at their soldiers of elves moving into position from the outer perimeter of the federation camp and with the Free-born Fighters in the mix of them. From the sky, Triss could see that they where heavily out numbered as they clashed into the seasoned fighters of the federation. "Our soldiers and the Free-born Fighters are walking into a slaughter," yelled Triss to Tiger Tye.

Upon the ground the commanders were rallying their men from the chaos around them and splitting them into sections to counterattack those that were now invaded them, coming at them in two main directions.

Triss being the commander of the Queen's guards knew they could not hold back the tremendous number of federation soldiers coming down upon them. He knew there was nothing that he could do from the air especially when his queen and her friends were below them in the basket. Triss knew his queen must be beside herself at the witness of what his eyes beheld down upon the ground. He quickly searched the mountain's ledges for a safe place to land the roc. Tiger Tye leaned to the right and his roc began to descend closer to the mountain's edge and their Triss found the perfect spot away from the fighting and still giving a full view of the packed mass below. Straight down the side of the mountain was the entrance of the mine and the closer the roc descended to land, Triss scanned the area quickly looking for away to counter this attack to save his soldiers and it suddenly appeared from the opening of the mine. Rows upon rows of dwarves flowed into the mix of the federation soldiers and they began mowing right through the center of the battle. Short swords of the dwarves met long steel scabbards of the federation and the sound was thunderous to where Triss could barely hear Tiger Tye who sat directly in front of him,  
"Pull the basket's strap!" Tiger Tye shouted behind him to Triss.

Triss reached down and wrapped his fingers around the leather strap and pulled until he felt the release and weight of the basket it held. His eyes snapped down to see the basket bounce once and skidded to a halt beneath them. The roc's wings flapped wildly as its claws touched down upon the rocky cliff's surface. Triss had his hand upon the strap that would release them from the roc and they both slide down from its back and landed down upon the ground. Triss was torn from running to Wren's side and helping her from the basket, but his worry was with his soldiers down in the valley fighting for their very lives.

Triss knew if these ranks fell back and joined those encountered with his troops that it would break the elves defenses and totally divide them in half. Then what their soldiers upon the ground could not see, and were unaware of, was another wave of thousands of federation soldiers with spears and lances being pushed back from the crossbows mounted in the higher cliffs that was raining down upon them. His last view of the ranks of dwarves that poured out of the mine was his only hope that they would break the force of the federation splitting them in half and weakening their defenses.

When the large roc bounded into the sky leaving his master and his friends below, Tiger Tye felt a knife's blade pressed to his back and then lances and spears all around them. Triss shouted and raised his arms high, "We aid the Free-born Fighters!"

There standing and surrounding them were men cloaked in rough, raw woolens and hides thick enough to retain heat even from the coldest snow. It made Triss blink knowing the heat of this day made a man shed his thinnest cloak. On their backs were straps that held large quivers and filled full of arrows. Long bows were also strapped to their back and their hands held tightly to the spears and lances. Their weaponry they carried would hold off a regiment of an army.

A woman stepped away from behind Tiger Tye and the one who held the knife's blade to his back. Her dark hair was tided back securely and she wore a man's britches and a wide belt that housed her sword and knives.

"Then tell me, elf. Who leads the Free-born Fighters?" asked Matty Row narrowing her eyes.

"I'm not sure as I have never met him," stammered Triss being faced down with so many spears and lances.

"Stand away from my men," demanded Wren, her mouth clenched and her teeth showing. "The Queen of the elves answers to no one but only to her people."

"The Queen, you say?" Matty Row leered and a hint of mirth began to part her lips. "Excuse me, your majesty. If that is who you say you are? But your appearance hardly suits that of which you claim."

Matty's thoughts drifted back to the stories that Morgon told her of the Queen of the Elves and a subject she questioned him at great lengths. The elvish queen had fascinated her and held on to every word that Morgon had told her. Looking at this simple dressed elf with rumbled hair and wrinkled skirt could hardly be the grand and magnificent woman who gave such strength to the elvish nation.

Her and her men burst out laughing at such a notion in which she tried to convince them.

"You roguish wench!" Wren spat at the woman holding them back from her mission to stop the dark magic born into the mine and that would consume all in its path. She and the Druid Walker Boh, Par and Morgon was all that stood to stop it.

"Step aside and lower your weapons," she demanded and spoke the words clearly and one at a time to give them more of a meaning. "I must enter the mine and met up with the Druid Walker Boh."

Matty's haughty gaze at Wren now raised her interest and gave more meaning to her. The last that she had known of Morgon was that he was with the Druid at his keep and this perked her interest more than this wisp of an elvish woman who stood before her. She housed her knife and spoke matter-of-fact to Wren. "Well than, that is different. If you are meeting with the Druid, than I'll be traveling with you. There is much I need to question him."

Wren placed her hands upon her hip and glared at the scathing woman. If she wanted to see Walker Boh and this would hurry them to that means, than so be it. "You're welcome to join us, but you may come to regret where you follow."

"I am more than able to handle myself and I rarely regret anything that I have decided," contemptuously spoke Matty to Wren.

Matty dismissed the elvish woman as if she did not matter a speck to her and turned to her men with new orders. She picked out a small group of men to go with her into the mine to find the Druid and sent the others back to the lines of bowman upon the cliff's edge.

Matty Roe tossed Raymere one of their ropes and ordered him to secure it. Raymere muttered under his breath as he took the rope they tossed and begrudgingly strolled over to the cliffs edge to tie it securely to a boulder.

Rhys and Raymere were already lowering Wren and Llewellyn from the cliff's edge and when they all quickly joined them in their decent from the mountain.

Tiger Tye and Triss drew their swords as did Rhys and Raymere when they landed on the valley floor. The fighting had been pushed back from the entrance from the rush of dwarves that entered into the battle. But the four stood ready when Wren and Llewellyn came around to the edge of the mine's entrance.

Wren watched the men striking men with their swords and saw bodies anointed in blood upon the ground, some piling on top of each other. The sickly smell of blood and sweat reeked the air that she breathed. Matty Roe and her men lead the way into the mine and Llewellyn waited for Wren to join them.

Triss looked longingly at Wren knowing that he could not go with her. His duty was now to his soldiers. Wren only nodded when their eyes met and then a simple smile that spoke her pride and confidence she held in him. Triss turned from her and both Tiger Tye and Raymere entered into the battle watching each other's back.

Rhys grasped Wren's hands and held them firmly. "Do want you must for your people, as I must do what I must for our Rovers. And if you and I should meet once again, Wren, then a promise of a kiss to our good fortune that we would live through this day."

Wren squeezed his hand firmly and then let go. Llewellyn and her watched Rhys as he ran and disappeared into the thong of men fighting for their lives.

"Come, Llewellyn, what we do here will give our men the best chance of winning this last battle for the freedom of us all."

They turned from the battle field and entered the mine and left it to fate and what it had in store for them.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The Creature

Through caverns and corridors to still endless caves, the decent into the mine went deeper and deeper. But for the magic glow of the light that surrounded the four who traveled the path to Cullinan's Cavern lit the way in the darkness. Walker Boh led his party surefooted and confident, that was, up until this very moment. All of a sudden, it seemed to Morgan, as he watched the Druid, that he was taking careful steps. He would stop in his tracks to sit upon his heels and exam the dust tracks that proceeded ahead of them and then stand to observe the stones, boulders and cliff verges above them. He would walk into another cavern's entrance only to turn around and come back out again.

Morgan leaned his shoulder upon the stone wall and adjusted the leather belt that kept his sword of Leah strapped to his back. His eyes moved from the Druid to Par, who was sitting upon a boulder and waiting for his uncle to finish inspecting this area of the mine. If Par was concerned, you could not tell it by the look upon his face. It was soft and serene while his gaze concentrating upon his brother, Coll. Morgan's eyes flickered over to what kept Par's attention.

Coll had propped himself against the stone wall and squatting upon his heels. In his hands, he fingered a clear crystal that he had taken from off the ground. He had the look of despair and uncertainty and he was lost completely in those dark thoughts. His right hand dropped to his side and slid the scabbard that housed the Sword of Shannara, so it rested upon his lap. In his direct view, Coll pondered what use this sword and talisman would aid in their struggles with the dark forces they would soon face. It was clear as the crystal that he held in his left hand, in how the Sword of Shannara saved Par during the Shadowen war, when Par was so lost in the lies of Rimmer Dall. But what good would this sword be in what they were about to face here in this mine?

When Walker Boh came out of the cavern that he explored, he slowly approached Par. Seeing the Dark Uncle moving towards them, Morgan and Coll joined Par to hear what the Druid wished to tell them.

"Walker, are we lost?" asked Par.

Walker Boh muttered to himself and took measured steps closer towards Par. "I don't know what has happened, Par. I felt the presence as if it was calling out to me. Now, I feel nothing at all. It's like a veil being drawn over it." Walker rubbed his chin as if he was uncomfortable with the length of his beard and his eyes shifted toward the dark corridor just ahead of them. There were other things that he felt, presence of other evils close by, but his eyes just could not see it. This left Walker unsure what to do as time felt like it was slipping away from him. They needed to find the one dark magic that he knew was not so close at hand, but somewhere deeper in the mine.

Walker Boh struggled with himself in whether to tell his four companions. He would have done so, if it was relevant at the time. He decided to save this for later.

"Then what should we do now?" asked Coll abruptly forcing Walker's attention away from his scratchy beard and the dark corridor.

"There's noting to do, but to continue on the best we can until we can find somewhat of an answer behind all of this," said Walker sourly. "We travel deeper into the mine."

XXXX

The Mole dropped to the stone floor, howling and sobbing and clutching to both sides of his head. "No!" he shouted for the hundredth time.

"I won't listen to you, nasty Mother!" he groaned and groaned while visions of Damson kept replaying in his mind of how he would betray her. He thudded his head hard against the stone floor until his head throbbed with pain. But the pain did little to stop those visions. The Diamond that possessed him would not give him any peace until he obeyed her desire.

"Stop, stop!" he screeched out sobbing and quivering. Tears poured from his dark eyes and streaked down his hairy face. He curled himself into a ball drawing his knees to his chest. So immersed into the evil of the diamond, the Mole could no longer fight by his sheer will. The vileness of the diamond had finally defeated him and he crumbed under the weight of it.

"Okay, the Mole will do it," he whispered through his sharp teeth. "We will bring our lovely Damson to you. We will do it!"

He lay upon the stone floor wrenching in sorrow.

Voices and lit torches came around the curve of the cavern where the Mole lay sobbing. He scrambled from off the floor and huddled closely to the wall of the mine. He enshrouded his face with his arms and pressed himself against the stone. So wroth in grief in knowing what he must do, he could not squelch his sobbing.

He heard the group stop and felt the light of their torches shining upon him, but the mole did not move nor care what they would or could do to him. Sniveling and whimpering, he waited.

"We have someone here, mistress!" one of the men Matty Roe had brought with her, shouted out to them.

Matty Roe, Llewellyn and Wren approached the ring of men that surrounded the pathetic creature cringing and crying.

It was Llewellyn who rushed to his aid and gently placed her hands upon his shoulders and felt him wince. She spoke softly to him. "Are you hurt, my fine fellow?"

"Go away and leave me," he bellowed through the crooks of his arms hiding his features of his face from them. He tried to shrink further away from her, cowering and trembling. "There is nothing anyone can do for me," he muttered weakly.

"Please, if you only allow me to take a look at you," she offered. "Perhaps there is something I can do."

She pressed her hands gently to his shoulders and eased him away so she could see his face. In his despair, he allowed her to move him and she got a clear view.

From the light of the torches, the Mole suddenly began to scream in terrifying pain. He quickly covered his eyes with his arms. Llewellyn took in his sunken, deep, dark eyes to the thick bristle that covered most of his features, and it stilled her breath for only a moment seeing what she did not expect. But for the compassion that Llewellyn possessed, only opened herself more so to his need. She could sense the pain he felt from the light and she behest the men to lower their torches.

"Llewellyn, leave him and come with us," Wren commanded. "There is clearly nothing you can do for this creature."

"We must keep moving if we are to find the Druid," ordered Matty Roh.

In the dim lighting, the Mole could see the three women standing about him and his mood suddenly shifted as did the malevolent light that sparkled deep within his eyes. He no longer needed the lovely Damson. There were three to take her place. He could have twittered with elation just thinking about it. But he forced his laughter away and faked a pitiful self. He moved from the stone wall and wobbled to his feet. Turning to the three women, he told them.

"We can take you to the druid. We know where he is," the Mole twittered even though he tried to suppress it. "We hid in the dark of the cavern away from him, we did. He did not see us and he did not catch us. Quiet we were while we waited for him to leave."

The Mole snickered again between his clenched, sharp teeth.

"If the druid is in this cavern, my men are more than able to track him," Matty Roh said to Wren. "We hardly need a pathetic creature to help us."

Wren eyed the creature who stood waiting for his answer. He looked all the pathetic thing that Matty claimed him to be, but to Wren and the creatures she had known, pathetic or not, had all been her saving grace. And here was another one. Faced with the same uncertainty as was before and given the choice to trust it, Wren knew instinctively that she must. Squaring her shoulders and standing firm, she told them her answer.

"We will let this creature led us to the druid."

A scowl creased the corners of Matty Roh's eyes and her mouth and stared at this elvish wisp of a girl who was giving them orders once again as if she was really the Queen of the elves. Crossing her arms in front of herself and taking a determined stance, and with a disdainful sniff, Matty turned from her and began to follow after them. She would have ordered her men back, but she would not give that mule-headed elvish girl the slightest bit of an edge in knowing that she had gotten one up on her. Instead she followed as if it was her idea and fully intended to watch their back.

Wren only glanced back once to see Matty following her a few paces behind. She lifted her confident chin and only the corners of her lips rose slightly in a satisfying smile.

At the front of the group the Mole rubbed his hairy hands together and was twittering and muttering to himself in quiet hissing whispers. "Yes, my lovely one. Nasty mother will not get her hands upon our lovely Damson. No, she won't. She will get these three here. Our lovely Damson will be safe. The Mole has saved her."

The Mole's eyes glowed with a white, gleaming light while he led the group in the darkness that was ahead of him. The torches lit the path for the other's to follow from the men who carried them and stayed a few paces behind the creature and just where they could see his shadowed form up ahead of them.

XXXX

Hearts pounded and thumbs rested upon the trigger of their crossbows. Lines of dwarves centered the bows upon the secret entrance just behind the tall crystal cone that hung from ceiling to floor in the opened cavern waiting for the creature called Cullinan to appear. Tuonin, who took Griffin's spot as the commander of these dwarves and who etched out the map of Cullinan's Cavern to Damson, stood ready to give the order to fire. His eyes were locked upon that entrance while Damson stood chewing her bottom lip and wondering and wishing for her father and his men to come to their aid. While she only had these small, handful of dwarves to try and stop this thing whose mire sight from his eyes could cut a man in half. The only protection her dwarves had was being behind huge boulders and in deep fissures in the side of a wall of stone. Damson hoped that she could find this creature's weakness and attack that before any of her dwarves would die. But death would come to many she feared, if she did not find away to stop it.

Before Dawson had time to clear her thoughts, the creature was there standing in the entrance and Tuonin screamed, "Fire!"

Her eyes snapped to the creature and watched as the arrows disintegrate in the fiery, hot glow of the light that shot out of the creature's eyes. Now his eyes were upon the line of the dwarves with crossbows and he was coming fast after them. The dwarves with the long bows stood on the flank side of those with the crossbows and fired their arrows. A wave of the arrows plummeted down upon the creature only to bounce off of the energy that surrounded it. Damson's eye popped staring in disbelief that nothing they could do could stop this thing. She raised her arms and was about to shout the order to fall back, when a white lightening bolt shot across the cavern from behind her and slammed into the creature. Damson snapped around to see Par walking towards her. From Walker Boh's hand another bolt of lightening shot out and she returned her eyes to follow it. Walker's magic had only pushed the creature against the wall, but it appeared unharmed and it fought against the magic that Walker welded. A hum began to build in the cavern from the energy of both magic's pressing against each other to gain dominance over the other. Par could see that Walker was drawing more power within his magic and he knew he could not hold it for very long. Seeing Damson, he wished he could have embraced her, but that would have to wait until the creature was subdued. Par called upon his magic of the Wish Song and he could feel it spring to life and flared out towards the creature. It slammed the thing against the wall once more, but it still pushed away from the wall and its energy began to draw down upon Par. He could feel his power drawing more energy and he was filled to bursting with it. But the creature still remained. Between Walker's magic and his combined the things should have exploded into dust. All it seemed what they were doing was just holding the creature back. Walker shouted over his shoulder to Damson, "Get everyone out of here including yourself!" he yelled. "We can not hold this thing for very much longer!"

Coll drew the Sword of Shannara as did Morgan who stood beside him. Coll did not know what his sword would be able to do, but having something in his hands was enough for that moment.

The dwarves backed themselves out of the cavern to let the Druid and his magic fight the thing that they could not. Tuonin grasped Damson's elbow and tried to encourage her to leave with them, "Come my lady, there is nothing we can do."

"Damson, go with him!" shouted Par over his shoulder while he held onto his power against the Cullinan creature.

"I won't just leave you!" cried Damson knowing there was nothing she could do to help them. She felt helpless and frightened.

"Damson, you must leave. Join your father and let us stop this thing," encouraged Coll. "For Par's sake, you must!"

Damson set pleading eyes upon Coll and she hesitated for only a moment and then nodded towards Coll. There was nothing she could do. They would find away to destroy this creature. She had to believe that. With Walker Boh, Coll and Morgan, they would see to Par's safety and return him to her. Damson looked one more time at Par and the struggle with the wish song's magic bearing down upon the creature. He could not afford any distraction and his very life depended upon his focus in destroying this thing. Yes, she thought. Par would kill this thing and he would see to everyone's safety and right this evil. Oh, her arms ached to hold him one more time. She would save that when this was over. Damson's eyes wandered over the others. Par was safe in the company that he chose. She turned and ran out with the dwarves from the cavern.

Walker could feel his strength weakening and his magic beginning to fade. He knew he could not hold on much longer. His eyes quickly rose to the cone shaped crystal suspended above the creature. Then swift as a striking viper, Walker turned his magic upon the crystal. Hot, white lightening bolts shot from his fingers and the crystal seemed to absorb his energy into its self. The crystal began to hum loudly and vibrate to ear piercing pitch. Then the explosion sent booming repercussion that shook the cavern as it crashed downward and pinning the creature Cullinan to the floor of the cave. From the moment the creature was pinned to the floor, caused Par's release from his magic had sent him sailing backwards and skidding until his landed a few feet behind Morgan and Coll. They both ran to Par to help him.

Par was visibly shaken by the power that filled him. It had almost overtaken him with the energy it took to hold back the creature called Cullinan. He felt it was within seconds before he would have been burned alive by the power of the Wish Song.

Walker sunk to the hard stone about his feet breathing heavily trying to regain some of his strength. He peered over his shoulder to Par and the others and knew instinctively that Par was unharmed. He rose upon wobbly legs and scanned the ruin of the cavern.

A mountain of shard clear-cut crystals laid in heaps and piles. Huge stone boulders that fell with the explosion of the cone crystal also laid out in amongst the destruction. The creature Cullinan was no where to be seen, but Walker could still sense it.

Walker only glanced back once more before he decided to climb downward from their verge to see if the creature was truly dead. His steps were calculated and carefully planned to maneuver through the chunks of broken crystals. Some of the crystals were so large that he had to climb upon them and then lower himself on the other side. Some so razor sharp he had to place his footing just right to avoid the risk of injury. He kicked piles of crystals with his foot to dig down deeper to where he thought the creature was buried. Soon, Morgan, Coll and Par joined him and they helped remove some of the crystals to reach the thing under them.

Par's eyes thwarted towards his uncle and vexation was written upon his face. He would have thought Walker would have been the first one to come to his aid, since it was him that aided his uncle when the Druid's strength was weakening. Did Walker care so little of Par's safety?

"By the way, Walker, I just barely survived that," stated Par sarcastically to the dark uncle.

"I sensed you were unharmed," said Walker dispassionately. He only glanced downward into Par's eyes before returning back to removing the final layer of crystals. They had all wrapped a piece of cloth over their hand and hands to prevent themselves from being cut upon the razor edges of the crystals. Walker uncovered the creature Cullinan's hand and arm and examined it to its elbow. There was not a single mark upon it and with the Druid's touch he sensed something else far more impossible.

"Back away from this creature and stand ready. It is not dead but asleep!"

"That's impossible, Walker!" Par's voice insistent and growing more frightened.

The razor sharp shards of crystal should have cut the thing in half, if not into smaller pieces. Not even their magic had any impact in killing this creature. It should have been dissolved into dust with the strength that both Par and Walker welded upon it. All this was puzzling Walker as he thought over what creature they were faced with.

Coll and Morgan froze holding their breath and waiting for the Dark Uncle to explain. The Druid rose from the crystal grave and took a measured paced while the three watched him with anxious eyes. His muscles appeared tense and his face intent and unreadable. He turned slightly and eyed the mountainous crystals that stood before him. Squatting down upon his heels, Walker picked up one polish looking crystal and held it tightly in his hand. For a moment, the Dark Uncle seemed to be withdrawing into himself. Quietly the three watched.

Par knew the furtive of the Druids and he hoped that his uncle would be straightforward with them. If they were to fight this evil then they needed all of Walker Boh's insight to lead them.

"Walker, I don't understand what happened. Why didn't our magic kill this thing?" asked Par trying to force Walker Boh to answer them.

Walker Boh stood and faced them.

"I do not know for sure, Par. Whatever this thing has of magic, it makes it invincible. If we do not find out what that is, we will not stand a chance against what evil had possessed this thing to begin with."

Walker's penetrating stare unraveled the three who listened apprehensively. His face was still impossible to read.

"This is not the creature we have come for?" asked Par incredibly. Their eyes stayed on Walker Boh wanting to know, but yet not wanting the answer to this question answered. Par swallowed hard.

"No, Par. He is not what I sensed. There is another far stronger than what this thing possesses."

"Then what chance do we have in defeating this evil!" shouted Par trying to keep incredulity from his voice.

Coll placed his hand upon his brother's arm as if to warn him not to push the Druid too far.

Par snapped his arm away from Coll and paced away from them trying to pull his fears together.

"Par some things are hard to give voice," Walker said patiently to Par's back knowing the turmoil and fear within his nephew. "I must seek insight to these answers. But we will not take a wrong step from here."

Walker waited for Par to answer him or at least acknowledge that he had listened to him. He hesitated, looking at them. Turning away, Walker climbed down from the mass of crystals and over to a large stone boulder. He pulled himself upon it and sat down. Closing his eyes, he willed himself into a Druid's sleep and sent his spirit into the cave to search.

Coll made his way downward from the top of the mountain of broken crystals after surveying the damage it caused from the magic that Walker Boh released into it. Coll inched his way downward taking careful steps and began heading towards Morgan who was perched mid-way over the hand that was sticking out. Morgan was lost in thought wondering how this thing could possibly have survived.

Surprise flitted across Coll's face when his feet began to slide and the crystals shifted from underneath him. His feet danced in place trying to find his footing and his arms waved in the air erratically trying to find his balance. The wild motions sent Coll flying backwards and his feet out from under him. The torrent of crystals took Morgan down with it in an avalanche of clear stones. Coll twisted from side to side trying to grasp anything solid when he felt his sword catch on something and then slide out of its scabbard. It had stopped his rolling only momentarily as he grasped feverishly for his sword. Held in place, Coll had a firm grip upon the blade towards the hilt of the sword and whatever else held the sword from moving with the torrent of crystals. The shards of crystals buffeted over him and around him, and he felt the cuts and scraps from the stones that slammed into him. He could feel his hand bleeding from the tight grip upon the blade of his sword and something else. A shock that he felt was like a bolt of lightening and it shook him making him tremble. Coll's eyes popped staring at the hand that held the hilt of his sword while the surge of crystals uncovered the creature called Cullinan and its penetrating stare was upon him. Coll froze holding his breath.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Into The Darkness

The cup hold of the Valley of the Dragon's Teeth oozed with the blood and parts and pieces of man. Shoulder to shoulder and chest to chest the warring parties battled. Their Generals on both sided stood upon large boulders within the center and out of range of the bowmen, shouting and screaming out orders, but none shouted louder than Padishar Creel. "Hold your ranks!" he barked deep and loud of voice. "Till your very lives, hold your ranks!"

Padishar's eyes roamed to the very center of the battle and watched the dwarves cutting and hacking their way towards him. If only they could reach him, then they would stand a chance of winning this war, he solemnly thought to himself. By tens and twenties the dwarves fell and in the center of the battle, a wall of dead bodies rose and to where one man fell, another man took his place. To the left of Padishar, the young and old both of men and women that he recruited fought ever so hardy as his most seasoned fighters. When the dwarves of Callhaven were freed from the mine entered into the battle, their passion to fight out ruled their fear of dying and their ranks were moving forward and driving the federation back. The pride in Padishar's heart cried out to them.

To the very right from the dwarves fought the Rovers, Rhys and Raymere who stood side by side with their men behind them. Their combined strength and skill of sword allied the dwarves who fought with them. From the flank of the freeborn fighter, were the elves and where the battle was the heaviest. Here the Federation soldiers numbered the most and they were pushing the elves back. Their ranks were weakening. Even the queen's own guards who were the most skilled with sword and warfare lead their group against the Federation. Their elegant long curve swords moved with precision and speed as if they danced matching step per step as the swords met steel of the enemy. But the sheer numbers of Federation soldiers were pushing them further back and Padishar worried the most over them. Triss held the elves together with his commanding presence and Padishar marveled as his skill. Triss was an odd one for him to figure out. The elf could hardly hold a conversation with the ladies, but with his soldiers he was a force to be recon with. His soldiers held the highest respect for him and knew in battle, their commander would lead them true. He held an uncanny ability to read his enemies and follow through with strategic maneuvers against them and seldom if any, did he ever lose. Yes, a force to be recon with, Padishar nodded to himself in agreement. He was all that.

The Federation Generals knew by their sheer numbers against Padishar's forces, the flank was the only chance they had to break a hold in their defenses and they where hitting them with everything they had. Still, Triss and his elves held on and kept them from over running and breaking the lines of their battle.

Padishar jumped down from the boulder to send his messengers to rely his orders to sections of his troops. "You get down there and find those bloody Rock Trolls and have them reinforce that elvish line!" he shouted. "I will not have that line over ran!"

A hand reached out and grasped Padishar's arm. "Beggin' your pardon, my Lord," stated a dirty and ragged dwarf that pulled his arm and turned him around. Looking down upon the dwarf, Padishar glared with stern eyes and waited for him to speak.

"You better make this important!" he snarled.

"My Lord, I have a message from Damson. She is requesting that you and your troops immediately come to her aid in the mine. She told me to tell you that she needs you."

Padishar's eyes widened and he heart sunk all at the same time. He looked incredulity at the dwarf. "I can not leave this battle or all is lost," his voice choked upon the words. He knew if his daughter sent a messenger that she was in dyer straights. Of all the battles that he had fought, this was his worst fear. Damson needing him and he was unable to go to her. This had never happened until now. Now he must choose and it tore at his heart knowing he could not come to her. Padishar put his hand to his temple and rubbed it trying to clear his thoughts and calm his fears and shouting and ordering within his mind. 'Par, you must find her and save her. You hear me Par. Blood and Ashes, Par, you have to find her!' It was up to Par and Coll, it was out of his hands now. "You tell her that Par is coming for her. He will find her. She knows I must do what I have to do." Padishar closed his eyes and turned away for the messenger and climbed back up upon the boulder shouting orders and watching the battle lines carefully.

XXXX

Upon the dense and dank air within the cavern, the spirit of the Druid Walker Boh probed and prodded looking, feeling and sensing for the one veil evilness that first drew him into this mine. It was here, it had to be. Some where hiding, dormant and waiting. He felt other evils deep within the Dragon Teeth's mountains. Hidden secrets, hidden evils not yet born, but yet still there. Ancient as time itself. But the one that was born into the world and taken out of the kimberlite, in which it rested by the hands of the dwarf called Cullinan.

'Some where?' Walker thought to himself and he pushed his spirit further and further into the mine seeking and willing the malevolence to show itself. Then he felt something else. Something that he recognized immediately, a soft and gentle spirit that filled his heart with life and love. "Llewellyn!"

Morgan seized his sword in hand and raised it high above him. The intent look of his eyes stayed upon Coll and the creature Cullinan who was sunk waist deep into the shards of crystals about mid-section further up the mountain of broken crystals. There, Coll and the creature where faced to faced with only the Sword of Shannara between them. Morgan knew without thinking that Coll's death was only within a breath and he shouted to draw the creature's attention to him. "Leah, Leah!" Morgan cried out, waving his sword and talisman while he raced up the crystal mountain to try and save Coll.

Par's eyes snapped first towards Morgan and then to where Morgan was running to. He saw the peril his brother was in. Par sent the wishsong exploding from himself and sent it racing against the creature to save his brother. The magic that came from Coll and through the Sword of Shannara burst forth and covered both Coll and the Creature Cullinan. The perfect magic of the sword held them both locked together and Par's magic dissipated like raindrops falling from the sky. Morgan's magic sword refused to come to his need and he stood transfixed in place not knowing what else he could do to save Coll.

The resplendent magic of the sword of Shanara burst forth and incasing both Coll and the creature Cullinan. They were trapped and protected within its magic power. Coll could feel the magic in him and all around him. And what Cullinan was feeling, Coll also felt. He knew the war of truth that was revealed to the dwarf that held on to the hilt of the magic sword. The evil and vileness that had captured him was revealed and exposed to the pure magic of the sword. The malevolence that possessed Cullinan cast itself from the dwarf and appeared before them. The creature was of a shape of the dwarf formed in a clear skin of a diamond. Its lustrous beauty and clarity sparkled in a brilliant dazzling light. Coll could see right through it, both in shape and truth. The thing hovered and then retreated into the wall of stone and kimberlite to where it was born.

Par reached up and grasped the Druid Walker Boh and pulled him from the rock that he sat upon.

Still in trance, his body fell upon the stone ground at Par's feet. His one arm and both legs dangled with no life of their own. The spirit of Walker Boh was forced back into his mind and body with an explosion of pain that was equal to getting struck by lighting. When both spirit and body became one once again, Walker awoke shouting out in pain and agony.

Par's face was inches above him when Walker's eyes opened and anger burst out of him. With his heart beating and breathing racing from being hurled through time and space and his desire to find Llewellyn and the malevolence within this mine, he set his hard eyes upon Par. "You are never to awaken me like this!"

The dour grimace within Walker Boh's penetrating eyes did not stop Par nor give him any pause. His brother needed the Druid's magic and needed it now.

"The creature has Coll!"

Par's pitch and panic that Walker saw upon his face was enough for him to strain and will himself to stand.

Walker's head spun from dizziness and he forced his eyes to focus upon the scene where Par pointed and pulled his power and readied it to cast out upon the creature.

There, Walker saw Cullinan weeping at Coll's feet and Coll looking down upon him.

"Dead!" Cullinan moaned. "I killed Griffin! My brother and my friend... I killed him!"

Coll took the hilt of his sword from Cullinan's hand and sheathed his sword and then lowered himself to the dwarf and consoled him with a kind and gentle voice. "It wasn't you who killed your friend. It was the creature that possessed you."

"It was Griffin's eyes that saw me and not the creature that lived within me. His last thought was of me," the dwarf paused a moment and wiped his tears from his eyes and look up to Coll. "He saw me killing him."

Walker summons his power back within himself and felt the burn of the unused magic. His stomach turned over and he shuddering inwardly as he snarled, 'Cursed Druid magic!' Outwardly, Walker forced his equanimity and slowly joined Par who had raced up the crystal mound to join his brother.

Walker pushed his thoughts and senses into the dwarf and found no evil that existed. The dwarf was weak and broken and totally powerless. But within his mind, Walker saw what had happened to Cullinan and the possession that came from the diamond. He understood the sacrosanct diamond and why his magic was powerless to stop it. "Take me to where you found the diamond," demanded Walker Boh from the Dwarf called Cullinan.

Par and Morgan looked at the Dark Uncle and for the life of them they could not understand why he wanted to see the diamonds that the dwarves where famous for within this mine when they needed to find the evil that brought them here.

Cullinan crumpled at the Druid's feet and set pleading eyes upon him. "I can not take you there. I will not take you there. Griffin lays dead and the countless others that I have killed are down there. Don't make me look upon what I have done. Spare me what little is felt of my mind because my eyes can not look upon it."

"Take me to where you had found the diamond," insisted Walker Boh.

"Please, Walker. You can not force this dwarf to take you there when you know all that has been done unto him. Surely you can see that for yourself!" snapped Coll knowing everything the Dwarf had been through seeing first hand through the magic of the Sword of Shannara. Par and Morgan agreed with Coll and stood beside him.

"He is not part of this, Walker!" added Par to his uncle.

"Let him go!" insisted Morgan.

Walker Boh ignored both Par and Morgan and turned to Coll. "You have see for yourself, Coll that he is part of this. What we search for he can take us to."

Coll lowered his chin to his chest and nodded. "The diamond that Cullinan found is the evil we have been searching for," he told Par and Morgan.

XXXX

The Mole kept his sullen and leaden eyes upon the cavern entrance to where he left the incarnate diamond resting within the protective space of the large crystals. Wary and waiting. She knew he was there, he could sense her feelings and her desires.

The Mole hesitated, looking at them. 'Yes, the three of them will do," he thought to himself. 'Nasty Mother will have to take them if she wants to escape her prison. Yes, these three will have to do. Lovely Damson is still hid in the mine and away from those that can harm her. Then as soon as she takes them, we will have the diamond. We will have it forever.' The Mole reveled in this thought and his mouth twisted in a scornful grin. "This way," he pointed to the group that followed him.

Rushing of feet upon the stone floor clattered hollowly in the cavern and bounced off the stone wall sending an echo ahead of them.

The mole stopped in his tracks just a few feet from the entrance and halted the party that followed him. Whoever they were, they were coming up on them rapidly. It was Llewellyn who approached the Mole standing there and listening to the noise ahead of him.

"Fast feet approaching. Many fast feet," the mole told her. His eyes were opened wide and his heart beat in fear.

Llewellyn turned to Wren and the party that followed her. "There are others coming fast upon us. What shall we do?"

Before Matty Roh could order her men with her plans, Wren directed them. "Behind the rocks and stand ready."

"Listen here you high and haughty witch. My men and I will not take orders from the likes of you," snarled Matty Roh towards Wren.

"Do as you are directed or face the consequences of those who come. You only have a moment to make up your mind," she replied fervently. Hearing the loud steps echoing closer to them, Matty waved to her men behind the rocks and stood ready.

Tuonin knew each step of the mine and where the imperceptible verges where located. He moved his men away from one of the deepest verge that was just paces from them.

The Dwarves raced into the stretch of the cavern with their torches held high and the bows strung upon their back. Tuonin slowed his dwarves and peered into the darkness and sensed that something was there just ahead of him. Damson came up from the back of the rank of the dwarves to join him holding her torch in her hand. "Why have we stopped?"

Tuonin pointed just ahead when Wren and Matty Row with her men appeared in the dim lighting of their torches.

A bright and brilliant smile broke the corners of Damson's lips from her recognition of them and raced to greet them.

The dwarves gathered around Damson and those that she greeted until they encircled the small group.

Damson lowered herself into a graceful curtsy and rose meeting her eyes with the Queen of the Elves. "Your majesty," she clearly spoke to Wren and smiled. "It is an honor to see you once again."

Wren held up to hand to stop Damson from going on further, "Please, Damson none of the formalities. We are closer friends than that. I am simply Wren to all my friends."

Matty stood staring at Damson and her eyes popped after hearing her greeting. Then her eyes popped again looking at Wren. Humiliation reddened her cheeks and she stammered in her speech. "I…I….I had no idea. I mean, I never thought for one minute that…..I would have never…

I mean….never would I have…"

Fumbling for her words to apologies to the Queen of the Elves, she could not think of anything that could possibly make up for all that she said and did to this woman. Her face turned even a darker shade of red and she fell to her knees bowing deeply. "Forgive me your majesty!" she cried and waved to her men to follow her bow. They immediately sunk to their knees in the same manner of their mistress. The dwarves were stunned and began whispering to each other. Their eyes roamed back and forth from the women in pants to the shabby and wrinkled elvish women that they spoke about. Matty's eyes were lowered to the floor of the mine and she would not allow her eyes to look upon the queen until she spoke. Minutes passed and she wondered and feared that Wren would not forgive her.

Damson crossed her arms in front of herself, knowing Matty could be over bearing at times and it seemed that Wren was teaching her a lesson of humility.

Wren waited for a glorified few moments taking in their posturing of honor for her and placed a satisfying smile upon her lips. "Rise, you are all forgiven."

Damson reached her hand out to Matty and grasped it seeing how shaken she was.  
"Do not worry so, Matty. If Morgan was not in such a hurry the morning after Walker Boh had left us, after the Shadowen War, you would have met the Queen of the Elves. Wren brought my father back to us shortly after you and Morgan left. That is why you two have never met."

Turning to Wren, Damson continued, "Whatever has transpired between you two, you must forgive her, Wren. If it was not for Matty and her skill with the sword and her strong determination, I would have never lived long enough to see the war to its end. I owe her my life."

"Then I am honored to be so accompanied. May I come to know you as friend, Matty Row," commented Wren and gracefully took her hand.

Matty nodded her gratitude to Wren, "I am the one who is so honored."

Wren turned back to Damson. "We are looking for the Druid Walker Boh. Have you seen him further down within this mine?"

"Yes, Wren. Par, Coll and Morgan are with him," she began to explain. Matty's eyes snapped over to Damson and was immediately drawn to what she had to say next.

"There is a creature within the mine that they are fighting. Their magic has not yet stopped it. I fear for them. It kills everything in its path. It took both Walker and Par just to hold it back so I could escape with the dwarves. Walker has ordered us all out of the mine."

Wren clutched the elfstones in her bag around her neck. "He has been giving a lot of orders lately. I will tell him that he does not order the elvish people from doing what we must to stop this creature from destroying anything further. We will combine our magic with his. Come, let us find him together."

The dwarves spotted something in the shadows of the mine and their commotion in their gathering to find out who and what it was drew Damson's attention away from her friends.

Peering over Wren's shoulder, Damson caught a slight movement in the darkness and she immediately recognized the strange creature cowering and trying to hide himself.

"Mole!" Damson cried out and startled the hairy creature. She tried to walk over to him, but he pulled himself deeper into the darkness. "Mole, please come to me. I was so worried about you."

But the Mole stayed where he was and safely out of view of the others.

"Damson, leave the creature. We must find Walker Boh. I feel time is of the essences," ordered Wren.

Wren, Llewellyn and Matty faced the entrance of the mine and knew this was where the creature had wanted to lead them. Walker must be in there. Wren could feel the stirring of the elfstones that were tired in a pouch around her neck. Walker was there, but so was something else. Fear rose in her heart and she listened for the faintest of sound. Her eyes could see further than all the rest in her party. Being of elvish blood, her and Llewellyn's senses were far greater. Wren reached out her hand to Llewellyn and the pair grasped each other.

"Do you sense that, Llewellyn?"

Llewellyn nodded and looked deeper into the entrance of the mine.

Matty joined them. "If Morgan is with the druid, then I am not waiting out here any longer. You can follow if you wish."

Matty looked at Wren and then cleared her throat, "I mean, if it is your wish, your majesty?"

Allowing Matty to lead their small group would show the woman that Wren held no hard feelings towards her. So, Wren nodded her head towards her. "Lead, Matty and we will follow you."

Damson kept her eyes focused on the spot where she last saw the Mole. She wanted to go with Wren and the others, but first she needed to know that her friend was all right. A moment would not matter.

"Tuonin, you take your men and follow them. I will be with you in a moment."

The dwarves moved behind the small group as they entered this section of the mine.

Her eyes scanned the imperil darkness searching for a sign of her friend.

"Mole, please come to me. Lovely Damson wishes to speak with you."

She waited for him to respond to her, but there was no answer, nor any sign of him. Time passed while she waited and she began to have an eerie feeling.

"Mole, you have never doubted me before. Why do you now?" her cosset voice called out to him.

Again she waited gazing into the reproached darkness. Listening, she heard a deep and shuddered breath.

Into the concealing darkness in which he hid, the Mole trembled as if the coldness of the stone seeped into his bones and caused them to ache. His lips pulled back tight to expose clinched, sharp teeth. Little was left of the Mole from the incarnate diamond that almost fully possessed him. He knew he would take Damson to her and the two would be made as one. She desired Damson from the imagines within the Mole's mind of her and it contrived to see this done.

The cosset of her voice pulled at his heart as he stood to see this evil deed done. He whimpered inwardly, "My lovely, come to me and help me! Stop me from what I can not!"

But there was not a voice that came to him, only the silence and vileness that moved his feet forward.

A shadow appeared within the darkness that Damson could see and she lowered herself upon her knee to greet him kindly.

The Mole hesitated looking at the Lovely Damson kneeling and waiting for him. His skin crawled with dread and his stomach twisted sickingly. His muscles tensed and his voice turned grim. "I am here, Lovely Damson." And he came into the dim light from her torch that she laid upon the ground behind her.

It was his eyes that Damson noticed first or the oddness of them. To where there use to be an endless darkness, within the Mole's eyes a light began to grow. It made Damson rise to her feet and stood waiting apprehensively.

A small recognizable voice echoed within the Mole's mind. "Run, Mole, run!"

And the Lovely that existed within him forced his feet to run and he did. He ran for all that he was worth, while they both fought the evil that tried to control them. The Mole felt the diamond's power that wrapped around his Lovely and seized her., but not before his feet hit empty air and he felt himself beginning to fall into a deep and endless pity of darkness from the verge so dense that it was bottomless.

A hand reached out and grasped the back of his coat collar and he dangled there for only a moment. The malevolence light in his eyes beamed and he turned his head to see Damson holding on to him with everything she had. The Mole gave her a smile while he twisted and turned pulling his arms out of his coat and allowing him to fall into the darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The Crystals

Cullinan apprehensively walked a few paces ahead of the small group that followed him into the cavern which led to the deepest part of the mine. His section, this is where he had spent the majority of his life and Griffin's. Together, side by side, digging out the diamonds that made and gave the dwarf nation their wealth and power until the Shadowen's War began.

There after, they were forced to dig the diamonds for the federation. Here they were enslaved to the greed of men. Deeper and deeper the dwarves had dug until they had reached this section. The lowest section of the mine, Cullinan's section they had called it. Named after the master diamond cutter whose talent had out succeeded any other alive. He had found the largest and greatest diamond ever found, but it was wrought in evil so vile that its very existence could not be stopped by any power or powers that any

Druid could weld. It now threatened the four lands. Evil would rule everything and everyone. Free men would never walk this world ever again. Cullinan knew this now and he was solely to blame. He had brought the world's destruction by his skill and his two hands and the weight of it pressed ever down upon him.

"There," Cullinan pointed to the entrance. "Follow the path downward to the lowest level and there you will find it."

"Lead on," firmly ordered the Druid Walker Boh.

Cullinan shoulders hunched and he arduously move his feet forward. He knew what was on the other side and he quivered just thinking about it.

Coll came over to him and placed his kerchief in Cullinan's hands. "Here, put this on and I will guide you through this."

Cullinan slowly raised his grateful eyes to Coll and saw such compassion enshrouded his kind and understanding face. He only nodded and held the kerchief over his eyes, while Coll tied the two ends. Taking Cullinan's arm, he guided him through the entrance and stopped when he saw the carnage with his naked eyes. It was hard enough to see it played out in his mind from when the Sword of Shannara revealed it to him. But here it was the death, bodies and blood of many men.

Par and Morgan covered their mouths and noses with their kerchiefs, while Walker Boh followed them from behind. Par was proud of Coll helping the elderly dwarf as he did.

Cullinan took a few steps with Coll, but then he suddenly stopped in his tracks. It was as if Cullinan knew the exact spot where Griffin had fallen. He stood there but a minute and then allowed Coll to lead him further into the cavern.

When they went through an adjacent doorway, Coll stopped and removed the blindfold from the dwarf.

"You'll be able to make it from here out," spoke Coll and placed his kerchief into his pocket. The old dwarf gently grasped Coll's arm and smiled his thanks to him.

"Promise me, Coll, incase anything happens to me that you will bury Griffin for me," Cullinan set pleading eyes upon him. Coll only nodded, but knew in his heart that he would keep that promise.

Cullinan turned to the Druid and the others and pointed down the path. "Just down this way and over a few paces. That's where you'll find it."

Walker Boh closed his eyes and pushed his senses out in the direction where Cullinan pointed. His senses told him evil was there, but not free to use its will. It sat dormant and waiting, yes, but something else that he was not too sure of, a prickling of danger yet to be. The Druid took the lead and followed the path to the cavern.

"Wait here!" ordered Walker Boh.

Par could feel a tingling of his skin and knew Walker had readied his magic.

Par sent his Wishsong onto the wall of stone and made a window for him to look through as if rock turned to clear glass. All four looked horrified at the deep fissure on the floor and walls within the cavern. There among them were many large diamonds glistening halfway in and between the kimberlite, not yet released from their prison. Par called out to Walker, but the dark uncle ignored him. Par watched him while he inspected the walls, touching them with his hand. At one time, Walker released a trickle of power against the corner ceiling and saw small amount of dust and rock fall. They saw him pick up a small handful of kimberlite and then dusted his hand off against the side of his pant leg.

Morgan drew his sword and readied himself incase the Druid would need him. Par too stood ready with his magic all about them.

Within a moment, Walker was out of the cavern and heading towards them. Par noticed a different look upon his uncle's face. A look of a man lost within his fear. Par waited for him to join them.

Walker stood and stared at them and his eyes soften when they met those of Par and they waited for him to speak to them.

"You have seen for yourselves what is in that cavern. Instead of one force of malevolence of power, we are about to have hundreds. The power those diamonds possess if far more than what we will ever understand or comprehend. We in ourselves can not defeat nor stop this." Again, Walker looked at Par staring deeply into his eyes. Par sensed a touch of feelings that torn through his uncle's heart. Par had a feeling in what Walker was going to say next.

"I want you to gather yourselves together and leave this mine as fast as your legs can carry you. There is very little precious time remaining. You must get yourselves out."

"No, Walker!" insisted Par. "I am not going to leave you here alone!"

"You must, Par," said Walker and stretched out his hand to grasp Par's arm. He knew instinctively that Par would not agree to this.

"There is only one way that I can think of that could possibly stop these things."

"You mean to bring down the mountain and seal them back into the kimberlite!" Par stated.

Walker only nodded his assent, but did not answer them directly.

"You can not do this, Walker. If that mountain comes down you will not stand a chance to get out alive!" cried Par.

"It is the only chance we have in stopping these things."

"No, Walker! I will not allow you to throw your life away," cried Par. "Please, Walker, No!"

Walker steeled his eyes, "There is no other choice, Par. If these things escape the mine, there is no hope for the four lands, the people or the world as we know it."

"Let us try to stand together and use our powers against them. We can defeat them if we try!" shouted Par trying desperately to come up with another plan outside of the sure death of his Uncle.

"If there was another way, Par, I would take it," stated Walker Boh. "I do not throw my life away so easily. I have sworn an oath to protect the four lands and its people against evil that bores into the fabric of our world. I will not allow it to overcome us and defeat us. To my very life, I have sworn this."

"Then, Walker, let us do this together. Let me do this with you!" begged Par.

Walker gentled his voice and his eyes and placed his hand upon Par's shoulder. "Par, you have a wife, brother, mother and father. I have neither."

"You have me and Coll, Walker. You are my family as much as my mother and father! I can not allow you to die! Don't' ask this of me!" cried Par with his own tears beginning to drop from his eyes and spilling downward upon his cheeks. Par knew without question his love and respect that he had for his uncle, even though he was never sure that his uncle truly cared for him. His heart was breaking at the prospect of Walker Boh's death.

Coll placed his hand upon Par's shoulder and looked over to Morgan and Cullinan. Their faces were white in fear and confusion. Neither knew what they could do to help them.

Walker turned his attention to Coll and Morgan. "Get Par and any others that you may find left in the mine and get yourselves out of here. You have only one hour!" instructed the Druid.

Coll grasped Par as did Morgan and tried to pull him from where he stood. Par began to fight them twisting and trying to pull his arms free. "No, Walker, No!" he cried while Coll and Morgan pulled him a few paces from the Druid. Anger built within his chest and his heart pounded pushing and pulsing blood quickly through his entire body. He could feel his power building and wanting to cast it out onto…'Where?' He quickly thought! He saw Coll struggling to keep his hold onto his arm, while Morgan was doing the same thing. 'I can not hurt Coll and Morgan,' he thought, but the anger and hurt consumed him. 'Walker'…

Instead, Par let his magic go. He let it fall from him like the tears pouring down his cheeks. 'I can not fight you, Walker. You are my family too, and I love you!' Par could not bring the words to his lips as much as he wanted to yell them out to his uncle. Par gave up and stopped struggling. There was nothing that he could do.

Walker Boh stared at Par and he knew this was his last chance to tell the boy how he felt. Words that he knew Par needed to hear from him. Words that he had never spoken out loud to anyone and he also knew the turmoil in his nephew and his need to know how he really felt for him. Par was more than just another extended family member, perhaps his only living family that Walker had left and he respected Par far more than what Par ever realized. Walker saw in him almost the reflection of himself and he understood Par and how he felt.

"Par," Walker shouted to him and he paused. He saw Par stop fighting his brother and closest friend. There eyes connected from across the stone cavern. Walker's tongue felt thick and in knots as he struggled to get the words out. "I….Par, I need to tell you…I"

But the words were lost and he couldn't say them.

"Par, if I fail… You, Wren, Coll and Morgan are all that is left to stop these things. Allanon will come to you and know that my spirit will always be with you!" shouted Walker and he turned his back from them and paused there for only a moment. Walker closed his eyes that had begun to fill with his own tears. He had never spoken his love to anyone and he loved Par. He sent his feelings to Par's thoughts and knew that Par felt them. Walker Boh returned into the cavern without looking back.

Par crumbled to his knees as did his heart feeling the love Walker Boh had for him. Coll and Morgan supported Par between them and physically pulled him out of Cullinan's cavern. The four stopped momentarily to gather their bearings before they continued on through the mine. Cullinan wailed in sorrow seeing all the death that he had caused.

"Let me die here!" he sobbed. "I can not go any further!"

XXX

Walker sunk to his knees and lowered his head to his chest. He could not stop the tears from falling down his cheeks no matter how he fought it. He felt weak, vulnerable and sliced wide open. Feelings that he had never experienced before and did not know how to deal with. He wiped the wetness from off his cheeks and looked at the hundreds of malevolent diamonds not yet born into this world, but on the very edge of their birth. Walker saw the destruction of the world, of every being that walked upon the lands and he saw his own death.

A flicker of light crossed his vision and a large black moor cat appeared in front of him.

"Has the Druid lost his senses?" stated Rumor sending his thoughts within the Druid's mind. "Or has the girl dulled what is left of your senses that you could not feel me by your side?"

"Rumor," Walker softly spoke. "Everything seems clouded within my thoughts."

Walker again lowered his eyes to the stone floor, not having the courage to face his closest companion.

The moor cat nestled closely to Walker and rubbed his face into the Druid's beard. When Walker Boh looked up, Cogline stood before him.

"Boy, boy, boy!" Cogline shook his head in disappointment looking at Walker so weakened and sullen.

"Have you lost you're way, Druid?" Cogline chided him.

Walker Boh stood and faced the ageless Druid and his friend.

"I am against an undefeatable foe to where my magic is powerless to stop it."

"You are against an undefeatable foe, Walker…Yourself!" Cogline stated. "Your mind is so clouded with the thoughts of men and not the thoughts of a Druid."

Walker steeled his eyes and glared at Cogline. "If you are talking about Llewellyn, I will not hear it!" he shouted at him.

"You have to hear it, Druid!" snapped Cogline pulling himself to his full height, which was not much standing next to Walker Boh who stood a good head and shoulder taller than himself. "What you have forgotten is a Druid does not have the heart of a man. You have allowed love to touch your heart and left reason behind you."

"Oh, I have reason, Cogline. Reason enough to know that what I love I destroy."

"What you destroy is yourself by denying who and what you are!" snarled the ageless Druid.

"I know what I am," shouted Walker. "Something that I have never sot to be. I have not the power to save what oath I have sworn to.

Cogline took a large chunk of crystal from among the half a dozen that was scattered upon the stone floor. Trickling a little of his magic into the stone, he handed this to Walker Boh.

When Walker took the crystal from the ageless Druid, Walker was lifted off the ground. The Dark Uncle opened his power to the crystal and lowered himself to stand in front of Cogline.

The old Druid, sensing Walker's magic weaved his magic inside of Walker Boh and linked his magic to his.

"What are doing?" asked Walker feeling the joined power of the two Druids.

"A lesson a Druid should have known how to use. Strip yourself of thoughts of men, Walker, and cloak yourself in the robes of the Druids. A Druid can not walk on both sides of the fence at the same time. You are more than what you realize."

Cogline disappeared before Walker's eyes and so did the moor cat.

XXX

Coll took Cullinan's arm and pulled him to his feet. He locked fierce eyes with the dwarf and shouted. "You have to go on. Without you, we will not know our way out. You heard the Druid. We have an hour to get out. You must show us the shortest way!"

Cullinan pulled his wits together and knew he could not allow his sorrow to over take him. They needed him and he could save their lives. It was the least that he could do for them. He took the lead and watched while Coll took one arm of Par's, while Morgan took the other. Par still fought them trying to free himself to go back to Walker.

Par didn't stop fighting until they came upon the opening to a central cavern. There was a deep verge that Cullinan pointed out and there crumpled at its base was Damson curled up and cuddling a small woolen coat to her chest and crying. Par races to her and gathered her up into his arms and held her. His own tears fell from his eyes and mixing in with her tears.

"Mole," she sobbed through her tears. "I tried to save him, Par, but he is dead!"

Par held her tightly in his arms and knew and understood her fondness for the Mole. Stroking the soft texture of her hair, he tried to calm and comfort her.

Coll bent down upon his knee and spoke to Damson, "Is there anyone else with you, Damson?"

She pointed over Par's shoulder to the entrance a few paces from them. "We have to keep moving, Par. I'll see to the others and bring them out here."

XXX

The light of the torches burst to brilliance and light beams danced all around the long corridor from the millions of small cut diamonds spilled out upon the stone floor. They lay in piles that had poured out of the air shafts where the dwarves had stowed them away from the federation soldiers. The chase the Mole had given Cullinan when he was so possessed with the evil of the diamond had knocked the large sacks over and the cut diamonds spilled onto the floor.

It was Matty Roh's men that had tossed their torches to the floor and began scooping the diamonds in their hands and then into their pockets. They were mad with greed. Matty pulled her sword and shouted to her men to stop, but they all ignored her commands. That was until the Tuonin and his dwarves pulled their long bows and crossbows. The men dropped the diamonds they held in their hands and pulled their swords.

"Drop your swords, you fools!" shouted Matty trying desperately to contain them.

Wren shouted her commands, "Stop this madness and lower your weapons!"

The elfstones pulsed within the pouch around Wren's neck and she grasped the pouch with her hand. Wren knew instinctively if the power surged through these stones than dark magic was close by. The power that she felt within her elfstones was the strongest that she had ever felt. Wren looked at the two forces of men and dwarves ready to come to blows with each other, but they were only men and this could not possibly be the reason.

Within the cluster of crystals the diamond came awake with the hatred that surged within the cavern and it pulsed with power.

Llewellyn immediately felt the diamond calling to her and it made her believe that the being within the diamond needed her. Llewellyn came closer and looked down upon the cluster of crystal and reached her hands in to grasp the diamond.

Wren's eyes frantically searched the cavern for any sign of dark magic. When her eyes rested upon Llewellyn, Wren shouted for her to stop. "Llewellyn, No!"

The men ran towards the dwarves and the dwarves let the arrows fly and in that moment the diamond's magic seized Llewellyn with a blinding light that filled the entire cavern and the crystal exploded sending shards scattering.

Wren's elfstones burst with power and ripped through the pouch that she held within her hand. The power of the two forces collided with each other pressing for dominance over the other. The cavern walls and floors shook with the power that was released by the two possessing supremacies and a humming built to ear piercing loudness. The walls of the cavern cracked and rock and stone fell and the kimberlite dust that filled the air making the room dense and hard to breath.

Wren's eyes widened when Llewellyn was caught within the dark magic's power and raised skyward towards the ceiling. She could hear Llewellyn's scream and watched as her head fell backward and her long blonde hair dangling while her healer hung in mid-air. All around Llewellyn the brilliant and radiant power surged through her and within her. Light seemed to come out from every body part of Llewellyn and Wren sensed the malevolence of this dark power and it was more powerful than anything that she had experienced before. Seeing Llewellyn within the power of the dark force, Wren doubted for only a moment when fear that Llewellyn would die from the power of her elfstones. It was all the dark magic needed as its power began to over take Wren.

Where the men had died from the arrows of the dwarves, and the others that had lived even the dwarves ran from the cavern to save their own lives. Matty fell at the feet of Wren and huddled closely to the stone wall by the entrance that they were to find the Druid. Her eyes could not move taking in all that she saw. If there was ever any doubting that Wren was the Queen of the Elves, it was squelched in that moment. Wren stood powerful before her with the elfstones within her hand and its power radiant from her. It was the only thing that had saved Matty's life up to this point.

Wren felt the dominance of the dark magic gaining upon her and she gnashed her teeth together and snarled, "You will release Llewellyn or I'll burn you out of existence!"

XXX

Coll fell backward from off his feet with the violent explosion that seemed to come out of the cavern that he had just entered through the doorway. He skidded to a halt as the dust rose all around him. Dwarves and men came running out of the cavern, screaming and did not stop when they came upon Coll stretched out upon the stone floor. Fear had seized them and they ran from it.

Before Coll could catch his breath and orientate himself with what had just happened. Par, Damson and Morgan was at his side pulling him to his feet.

"Coll, thank the light that you are not hurt!" cried Par, while his eyes roam from the top of Coll's dirty and dusty head to the soles of his stout boots.

Damson's eyes snapped over to the entrance of the cavern where the cloud of dust began to settle. "Par, Wren and Matty are in there!" she shouted in horror worrying what could have happened to them.

Before Par could move, Morgan was dashing through the entrance with his sword drawn high above him and he was shouting, "Leah, Leah!"

XXX

Wren fought the elfstones trying to pull back on the ultimate power the stones processed in fear of killing Llewellyn. It was like pulling back on a thin, weaken reins of a run-away stallion with wolves snapping at its very hooves. The power Wren welded was enough to turn Llewellyn to dust if it just barely touched her. She fought it with everything she had to keep the evil from touching her and a safety barrier for her healer.

Walker Boh did not have to look at Llewellyn to know what had happened. He had seen this played-out in his visions at least a dozen times. Each time he had this vision did not lessen the pain he felt knowing that Llewellyn had died. His only hope was to find the diamond before Llewellyn did.

He knew the diamond had taken her the moment she touched it. He felt her pain that ripped through her and felt her fade away into the endless darkness of which she would never escape, taking with her the love that had once filled his heart and a joy of living a life within that love that they would have shared together. Walker felt the emptiness as deep as death itself. Tears rolled down the Druid's eyes as he rounded the corner to where he knew the vileness of the diamond dwelled.

A bright bolt of lighting shot out from behind Wren and hit Llewellyn full force. To her horror, Llewellyn was unharmed and she seemed to absorb the power that hit her. She immediately felt the power of the Druid as he tried to link with her in the power that she possessed from the elfstones that she held in her hands. "Wren, link your power with me!"

"No, Walker!" She shouted. "That will kill, Llewellyn!"

"That is no longer, Llewellyn!" shouted Walker Boh. "Link the power of the elfstones with me!"

"No, Walker!" Wren shouted.

"Wren you must trust me!" said Walker Boh holding his magic against the dark magic. Wren should have seen for herself that even with his magic combined with hers was not stopping this creature. 'Why wouldn't Wren trust me?' Walker thought.

Wren stared up at Llewellyn caught in the malevolent light that seemed to be driven right through her. Slowly Llewellyn's head rose and the large diamond that she had held in her hands fell to the ground with a loud hollow thud and snapped in half. The luster and radiance of the diamond was gone and it was nothing more than dull and empty white stone.

Wren's eyes followed the stone that fell from her hands and then back up to Llewellyn's eyes. Gone was the soft and gentleness of what she use to be and replaced with cold, careless and hard features. Her eyes were the most compelling with its glow of piercing white light and sharpness that was now staring at Wren.

Coll and Morgan ran into the cavern with Par and Damson behind them. Coll immediately drew the Sword of Shannara, while Morgan did the same. Par sent the Wishsong to surround them and protect them against the malevolent within the cavern.

"Wren, please, you must listen to me!" shouted Walker.

"No!" Wren insisted.

Walker saw Coll standing in place and holding the Sword of Shannara and he sent his thoughts to Coll. 'Coll, open the swords magic to reveal the truth of Llewellyn.'

Coll blinked and his eyes stared at Walker Boh from across the room. Nodding, Coll willed the sword's magic to Llewellyn.

The empty broken stone that lay upon the floor just underneath the image of Llewellyn illuminated a light of truth and revealed the spirit of what use to be Llewellyn dead within the dull stone.

When Wren saw this with her own eyes, she opened herself to Walker Boh and allowed his link with her. The two powers combined as one sent a force so strong that with it hit the malevolent power and it screamed and shrieked and its power suddenly faded.

Matty Roh scrambled from off the floor and ran to Morgan who wrapped his arms around her.

Walker shouted out to Par and the rest. "Take a crystal in your hand and hold on to it!"

This time no one questioned the Druid and did as he requested. Walker trickled his power into each stone held by his companions.

"Now will yourselves to fly!"

Par's eyes widened as did the rest of them, but no more so than Morgan whose heart raced within his chest. He felt his stomach lurch and felt he would sick up in fear. Morgan looked into Matty's eyes and he found his courage. She was counting on him to save her and he would no matter if it meant to be suspended in mid-air while holding on a clear stone and then being hurled through caverns of the mine.

Damson wrapped her arms around Par and tucked the Mole's small coat securely in front of her. She held on to Par for dear life, as Par did the same while holding a crystal in his other hand.

Within moments, their feet left the ground and they hovered within the cavern. Walker still held his magic upon the malevolent creature for the safety of his friends. He knew he could not kill this thing, but its power was severely weakened. This would give them all a chance to escape the mine.

"Now, use your magic and get out of this mine!" Walker shouted.

He watched as crystals glowed with power and began to gain speed as each one flew through the entrance of this cavern.

Par willed his crystal to slow when he noticed a large boulder that had fallen and pinned Cullinan to the floor of the cavern. Par could see that he had not survived and died in the mine with his friend Griffin to be buried forever together. Par hugged Damson tighter to himself and willed his crystal to fly.

Walker Boh waited and held his power on the creature and looked upon the image of Llewellyn's face for the last time and he closed his eyes to remember how she felt in his arms and her kiss upon his lips when he had saved her at death's door when Llewellyn had saved Wren's life. Walker thought to himself whether Cogline was right, Could a Druid truly love someone when his life was giving to service and protect the delicate fabrics that bind this world from the evil forces that would destroy it? A question he had no answer for.

Walker trickled some of his power into his crystal and rose off the ground. His crystal radiated energy and it glowed in his hand. He again closed his eyes, and cast the power he used on the creature to the walls and ceiling of stone and watched it a moment when it came crashing down upon the creature. The linked power with the elfstones and his druid magic made the mountain shudder and shake until the entire mountain seemed to move. Walker sped flying through the caverns while the walls and ceiling tumbling down just behind him. Huge boulders pounded the ground as they fell and the stone floor cracked leaving huge crevices that easily filled in with smaller rock and kimberlite dust. Faster Walker willed the crystal to fly and he was whipping and whirling through the cavern as fast as light itself. The crashing of walls and ceiling were within a toes touch behind him and almost over-taking him as he was propelled forward. Walker only hoped that Par, Wren, Coll and Morgan got out safely.

XXX

"Hold your bloody places or I'll cut anyone in half if he doesn't!" shouted Parishar Creel. He stared into the entrance of the mine waiting for the slightest movement.

"That mine is going to come down at any moment!" shouted Rhys to their leader. "If anyone is in that mine, they are forever lost to us!"

"Hold your place, Rhys!" Padishar snarled and clutched the hilt of his sword tighter and threatened anyone else if they so much as moved. Raymere grasped his cousin's wrist to warn him not to push Padishar too far.

Triss and Tiger Tye came closer to stand by Padishar's side and wait for any sign. As long as Wren was in there, they would not move from this sight.

A rumble echoed out the opening of the mine and Padishar almost went in to see if the sound was made from his daughter.

The dwarves were covered head to toe with grime, dust and dirt as they poured out of the opening and almost ran into Padishar and his men.

Parishar grabbed the first dwarf he could get his hands on and held him in place. "Are there any others down in the mine?"

Tuonin all but collapsed in Padishar's arms from seer exhaustion from his run within the entire length of the mine. He could barely get his breath out let alone any words. Suddenly the entrance rumbled as if someone had shot of a string of fireworks and Par and Damson flew out of the opening.

Padishar and his men had only a moment to hit the ground before they were bowled over. Par pulled his magic away from the crystal to slow himself down and glided downward with his feet running until they touched the ground.

The men raised their heads for only a moment and lowered them again, when Morgan and Matty came darting out flying upon the wind. As soon as Morgan saw open sky, he let go of the crystal and fell downward and rolled upon the ground. His crystal shot skyward until it all but disappeared. Then if it wasn't for Matty hugging and holding on so tightly to Morgan, he would have hugged and kissed the ground, but he decided to kiss Matty instead.

Next came Coll, who ran with his feet in the air and kept running when they finally touched the ground. He too, let go of his crystal and it sailed just like a rocket just above the thousands of men's heads all gathered together in the cup-hold of the Dragon's Teeth.

Wren came after Coll and gracefully landed upon her feet and stood before Padishar, Triss and Tiger Tye, while they lay on their bellies upon the dirt.

Triss and Tiger Tye climbed to their feet and they both threw their arms around Wren, laughing, cry and shouting all at the same time. "Thank Arborlon's blessings you are all right!"

Wren dropped her crystal and hugged the pair of them, while Padishar climbed to his feet and ran over to Par and Damson. He too threw his arms around them and hugged and kissed them both. "Par, I am ever in your debt. I would have sworn I lost you both!"

The mountain shook with such a rumble and a quake moved the ground under their feet. Everyone staggered trying to keep their balance. Par pulled away from Damson and Padishar and raced to the opening of the mine. The walls of the cave began to break apart and rock began filling in the empty space.

Par screamed out loud, "Walker!"

Coll raced to Par side and knew that Par had readied his magic and was about to go back in after the Druid. He clutched onto Par's arm, "No, Par, please! I can not lose you to this mine. Please, Par, No!"

Par stared into Coll's eyes and knew he had to let Walker Boh go.

Putting his arms around Coll, he hugged him tightly. "Its okay, Coll."

Par no sooner turned around then Walker Boh came shooting out of the mine at such a speed it almost boomed. He sailed straight up in the open air and then hovered for a moment and gently lowered himself in front of Par.

"Walker!" Par cried with tears running down his cheeks and embraced his uncle holding him tightly. Walker tossed the crystal upon the ground in front of Raymere's feet and put his arm around Par and held him.

"It's all right, Par. It is over with."

Raymere's eyes popped staring at the crystal as it was red hot and smoking and guarded it until it cooled to handle.

Rhys walked over to Wren, "I think I remember a promise I made to you if we both lived through this together."

"Now Rhys, that promise was spoken when we thought we would not live to see this day."

Rhys put his hand over his heart and teasingly smiled mischievously at her, "You wound me to my heart, Wren. A promise is a promise." He tried to grasp her hands to hold them.

"A promise that I can not keep," stated Wren and moved her hands away so he could not touch her. Rhys looked boyish at her and he tried again saying, "Come away with me, Wren and we can travel the land as we once did when we were young."

Wren almost smiled just thinking of her days when she ran wild with the wind and never the cares and worries that she had today. Shaking her head, Wren knew that a queen of her people could never possess a woman's heart and her people would always come first and foremost. "My place is Queen of the Elves, ruler of my people, Rhys, and to their future. This out-weighs the love that I could give to only one man. I am sorry, Rhys, but I can not, not ever."

"Wren, I can not live my life in one spot even if it is in a palace, my Queen. Perhaps one day, our paths will meet again in a better time with less demands placed upon us." Rhys took one of Wren's hands and gently placed a kiss upon it. Turning, he strolled back to where his left his cousin guarding the Druid's stone.

Wren walked over to Triss and Tiger Tye. "Is your Roc ready, Tiger Tye."

He only nodded. "We have a long journey home."

Triss could see the tears running down Wren's cheeks when Tiger Tye left them to get his Roc. He approached her and wiped the tears from her eyes and looked deeply into them.

"It is over with, Wren. Our battle to free the people from the Federation is over with. We have done our deed."

Wren put her arms around Triss and hugged him crying on his shoulder. Triss tenderly wrapped his arms around her and held her until she had stopped.

Rhys walked over to Raymere who still stood in one place guarding his stone that Walker tossed upon the ground.

"Well, Raymere I think it is time we turned our wagons east and travel the four lands and find us another adventure."

"I think we should head to the Southlands and the Seaports," commented Raymere and lightly touched the crystal with his fingers to test it making sure it had cooled down to hold.

"The Seaports?" asked Rhys and watched his cousin pick-up the crystal and put it in his pocket.

"Yes, the Seaports and more importantly March Brume. I think our Uncle Sterret would be very interested in seeing this stone here. It could mean passage on one of his sea vessels. You know how he loves to collect things. I'm betting this here crystal he'd be very interested in. Now that lad, could be an adventure!" Raymere winked at his cousin

"Diapson Sterret! I have not seen him since I was just a small lad. Perhaps you are right, Raymere, March Brume sounds like an adventure to my liking," commented Rhys

Damson unfolded the small coat that she had wrapped in her arms and handed it to her father. "He's gone, Padishar. The Mole died in the mine. This is all I have left of him."

Padishar took the coat from Damson, while Par put his arms around her to comfort her.

Padishar Creel's smile at seeing his daughter and son-in-law alive, quickly turned to a heated, red-faced grimace when he saw that the entrance of the mine was sealed in large boulders, rock and stones. Padishar paced quickly back and forth in front of the mine as if he hoped to see a small hole he could crawl through. Fists clenched to his side and turned around glaring and shouting at Par, "Did you have to blow up the entire bloody diamond mine!" he fumed. "I have debts with this war, Par. My men need to be paid and I've spent every coin that I owned just getting into this bloody cup-hold to fight the bloody Federation soldiers! Those diamonds were to pay my debts and tide me over into my golden years! Now what in the bloody hell am I going do now, Par!" He kicked a boot full of dirt at the enclosed entrance of the mine and growled with his arms outstretched in anger. In one clutched fist, Padishar held on to the Moles small coat and was muttering faster than what anyone could comprehend. Damson noticed that one of the deep pockets were bulged and weighted. She slowly approached her father and took the small coat from his hand in the hopes of finding something useful. Knowing the Mole as she did, he had away of finding things that were either straight from the garbage or from a treasure and Damson was hoping treasure. He had an eye for sparkly things and had collected many shiny rocks, a lost ring or necklace. Some Damson knew were every expensive things. Lifting the pocket flap, she reached her hand into the coat and pulled out a handful of small cut diamonds and there were still more within the deep pocket. She giggled when she held them up to her father.

Padishar looked at Damson and blinked. His hard grimace faded immediately and his eyebrows rose in approval. He was so happy that he about hugged himself laughing. Instead he hugged his daughter and shouted out loud.

Even though Par and Coll did not want to look at another diamond ever again, Damson kept a few of them to start their own Inn in a small town in Callhorn.

The end………………….

Until my next story….Loveofthering….


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